Sugar
by The Archer Black
Summary: MECH decides to re-appear Just as June has to face complications of her newly found blessed condition (see Run). Part 17th of my series and the summary seems a bit flat, you may want to read previous parts to get a hang of it (you won't regret). I will update every 2 weeks. My stories are available exclusively on my official accounts on , dA, AO3, Tumblr.
1. Child in Time

**Sugar.**

" _There's sugar on your soul_

 _You're like no one I know_

 _You're the life of another world_

 _You swallow me whole_

 _With just a mumbled hello_

 _And it breaks my heart to love you,_

 _It breaks my heart to love you_ _"_ – Editors _"Sugar"._

 **Warnings** : Violence, explicit language, controversial subjects.

Timing: Post season 2 finale, in my very own Beauty of the Beast Prime timeline.

Rating: M (possibly even MA).

Pairings: multiple.

Disclaimer: Transformers Prime © Hasbro. Story's plot and OC's © me. There may be some OC's that aren't mine – they belong to their respective creators.

 **Child in Time.**

" _Sweet child in time, you'll see the line_

 _Line that's drawn between good and bad_

 _See the blind man shooting at the world_

 _Bullets flying, ooh taking toll_

 _If you've been bad - Oh Lord I bet you have_

 _And you've not been hit oh by flying lead_

 _You'd better close your eyes, aahaouho bow your head_

 _Wait for the ricochet"_ _–_ Deep Purple _„Child in Time"_

oOo

 _The Autobot Base Omega – 3. November 29_ _th_ _._

Ratchet's infirmary was empty save for the Medic and June Darby. The place was quiet and Ratchet loved it that way – his own little kingdom where no one pestered him unless they needed to.

Right now June needed his attention and he was rather excited to scan her – she was with a Newspark, a glorious event in the optics of a Cybertronian, an in fact dying race. Ever since the Allspark was ejected it did not produced any new Cybertronians to emerge form Well of Sparks. And ever since the war started no femme or carrier mech would conceive a bitlet, there were no conditions for any young ones to be brought to the world that was turned into battle ground.

But at the moment the war was at halt. It deescalated as the time passed but right now it stopped completely thanks to the cease fire and with luck it would stay this way for some time.

Of course Ratchet wasn't thrilled that the bitlet was sired by Megatron, but the Newspark's parentage was a secondary issue. Even the fact that it would be a Techno-organic didn't matter. It still was memorable day for it was a first Newspark he'd see in what felt like eternity.

June laid patiently on an infirmary berth that was set horizontally just for this occasion and allowed Ratchet to scan her first with his in-build scanner and then with hand held one. With every bit of information his optics widened and brightened with excitement. There was also a faint smile on his lip plates that he was probably unaware of.

"So, how does it look like?" She finally asked when she thought that Ratchet was finished.

"Well, there is definitely a Newspark in your uterus." Ratchet displayed the results on computer screen. "It is extremely tiny but given that you are a human it is not surprising."

"I'm not sure what all these graphs are meant to show." June lifted herself on her elbows.

The computer screen showed curved lines that looked more like math graphs than life signs. There were three lines, each different colour, two seemed to correspond to each other and third one was completely different.

"This one is your EM field." Ratchet pointed at the single different looking curved line. "And the other two are the EM field of the Newspark. The lower one is the actual EM field and he higher one is what I got when I strengthened the signal to get better readings." The Autobot Medic explained. "You have there a Newspark and its field is being dampered by its developing chamber."

"Spark chamber? So soon?"

"Yes. The spark is tiny and the chamber is not permanent yet. You see, it is like with your new-born's craniums. They are soft and not fully developed so the brain can grow freely. The delicate bones only grow together forming cranial seams sometime after the birth. Is that so?"

"Well, yes, the fonticulus disappear in time. It allows both the growth of the brain and the birth so the baby's head won't get stuck." June confirmed.

"In case of the Spark chamber the birth is not the reason, but its loose construction allows the developing Spark to expand." Ratchet nodded. "Now that it is developed the nanites will start built the protoform and all the bio-mechanisms. You will need to provide them with building materials."

"I think that's Megatron's job." June smirked.

"Don't remind me." Ratchet growled sourly. "You will also stay well-nourished as the nanites will also gain lacking materials from your blood stream. Namely iron, magnesium and zinc. Not much, but you will need to watch your diet."

"Yes. My doctor said that my blood tests are a bit off. I guess it is the little one's doing. But she said that it is nothing that diet can't fix." June sat fully and smiled. "But shouldn't the Bitlet take everything from transfluid?"

"Yes, but the nanites don't recognise you as a human; to them you are a femme. They will use the transmetal fluid from Megatron as it will be easier to reach, I believe Megatron is more than happy to provide any amount of it, but it doesn't mean that they will ignore your blood stream."

"Oh, how bad it will be?" June paled a little.

"It shouldn't be much. Perhaps I wasn't precise enough. The nanites won't drain you dry, they will be sampling your blood for resources though. They will however turn to the easiest material to reach. And with Megatron's contribution it will be his transmetal fluid and not your blood stream."

"I understand." June sighed with relief. "But I still need to watch my diet."

"I understand that all expecting human females have to." Ratchet saved the scan results. "Fortunately you already have experience gained from your time with Jack, so I believe you know that to do?"

"With Jack I was 18 years younger. And he was fully organic." June laughed. "But yeah, I think I still remember what to eat."

"Apply that knowledge then. " Ratchet offered her his servo so she could safely get back to the floor. "And in case of any doubts or if something happens, contact me."

"You sound like my doctor." June stepped to the waiting palm that lowered her gently to the ground level.

"I am your doctor." The Autobot Medic pointed out.

"My other doctor, doctor." June smirked and left the infirmary leaving Ratchet mumbling under his vent about audacious human femmes. There was, however, no real anger in his voice.

oOo

 _Darby's House. An hour later._

Jack was digging in his closet and pulling out his clothes. There was quite a large pile of them sitting on the couch and slowly growing as the adolescent added new ones. They were various kinds of clothes: warmer, lighter, short and long sleeved, some pants and a jacket or two. Miko sat in an arm chair sipping on some drink and watching Jack diving in what seemed like bottomless hole filled with old clothes. It was quite fascinating to watch a young man looking for one thing and not being able to find it. He was getting annoyed at this stage.

"You know, whatever you are looking for, it will be in the last place you will get to." She remarked between sips.

Jack emerged from the closet with an unhappy look on his face and hair sticking in all possible directions. He didn't manage to reply before Miko snorted and began to choke on her drink. She jumped off the couch and hurried to the kitchen to spit the liquid out before it would go through her nose.

"Sure, laugh." Jack mumbled under his breath and dove back into the closet.

The doors to the garage opened and June entered. Traveling through Groundbridge was necessity now that Autobot Base was in Alaska 1) and she lived in Nevada. But even if they'd be still in Nevada, it would certainly be more convenient than driving.

"Oh! Jack! What is this?" She stopped when she saw the pile of clothes.

"Hi mum, I… I'm looking for my rain coat." Jack said. "You know, I should be prepared for anything in Vegas."

"You don't have that rain coat anymore." June sat down next to the clothes. "You threw it away after you tore that pocket."

"AWW MAN!" Jack jumped out of the closet. "But I need a coat!"

"Jack, it's Vegas." Miko returned from the kitchen. "When was the last time you saw rain in Vegas?"

"That's not the point." Jack grabbed the first thing from the pile and shoved it back to its place. "I can't just run back home every time I need something. I need to be prepared."

"Oh, there we go again." Miko moaned. "You're moving to Las Vegas not to Iceland. You're not even leaving the state."

"But I'm going to College; I can't behave like I'm some 10 year old kid. I need to be self-sufficient." Jack grabbed a handful of various clothes and disappeared in the closet again. "What would other people think of me if I ran home the first time weather changes?"

"Jack, you'll be coming home for holidays anyway." June rubbed her forehead. "And no one will pay any mind about what you do if you need to get some clothes from home. They'll be doing the same thing."

"Yeah. And the weather in Vegas doesn't change that often." Miko added. "And you'll be living in your Grandmother's house anyway."

"And what if I won't?" Jack peeked out the closet. "What if I'll live in dormitory?"

"They you won't have too much space for clothes." June leaned back and rested against her couch. "Jack, people in College will be just like you. They too will have families they will go back to. Just relax."

"Yeah Jack. You've been to big city before. And you've been to another planet. Twice." Miko planted herself back to the chair she occupied before. "Vegas have nothing on you, especially that you've been there when you visited your Grandma."

Jack glared at both ladies and sighed. In a way they were right. "But I still need a rain coat, just in case." He said.

oOo

 _December 16_ _th_ _. Somewhere near Mexican border._

Silia sat in obscure looking motel room eating greasy looking pizza. Keeping low profile was easy so far but the fact of previous failure was still sour spot in her psyche. Of course her father taught her better than just sit in the corner fretting. MECH was busy all the time since their previous combat with the Decepticons. They were having trainings and they were working hard on new projects, they were researching for new ideas…

Speaking of which, Silia reached for brown envelope and pulled fat, yellow folder from it. It was about time that she looked through the newest findings of her research team.

The folder had single word scribbled in terrible hand write in it. The word read "TESLA".

oOo

December 18th. Autobot Base Omega – 3.

The Groundbridge came to life with usual swirl of colourful light and Agent Fowler's car materialised rolling slowly in. The man parked his vehicle as couple of bright optics focused on the machine and the man in it.

Fowler got out of the car with his usual frown but there was some sort of additional tension in him today. At the beginning of their cooperation the man was rather reluctant about working with giant space robots, in time the ice was broken but that didn't change his rather rough personality which meant that he was giving impression of a man constantly irritated, unless he was tired which meant that he gave impression of a man that was both tired and irritated.

The additional tension he was displaying usually meant that he brought news that were either bad, or good but he didn't liked it just the same.

"Prime!" Fowler shouted slamming the car's door. "We have a situation!"

"Agent Fowler. I assume it is not a new arrival?" Optimus answered in his usual, calm voice. "We have not detected any Cybertronian vessels closing to Earth."

"No. No new trouble makers." Fowler climbed the stairs leading to the catwalk. "Our field agents spotted MECH activity."

"It's not surprising; they're out there, right?" Smokescreen shrugged. "We didn't catch them so they're on the loose, sooner or later they'd surface."

"They were keeping low profile ever since their escape but two weeks ago we have spotted two of them in Texas, then three days ago one MECH agent received a ticket for speeding in New Mexico heading to the Mexican border." Fowler waved a yellow folder titled 'MECH'. "And yesterday one of them was spotted in Mexico talking with smugglers."

"This is indeed the most MECH activity since attack on New Kaon." The Prime nodded.

"But how do we know it was them?" Blaster pondered from behind his computer console.

"We have identified them as MECH associates thanks to Ripley's2) cooperation." Fowler explained.

"Why didn't you arrest them? You know they're the bad guys." Smokescreen asked. "Grab them and ask them what they're up to."

"They weren't doing anything illegal." Fowler sighed. "And if we'd book them, we'd scare the rest of MECH away. Right now our men are continuing their observation and doing nothing, but you need to know of this in case Silia decides to try something involving you."

"I see. We must inform Megatron, she blames him for his father's demise." Optimus nodded.

"And she's right." Blaster added. "I won't cry if she gets him."

"Neither will I." Smokscreen agreed. "But June will."

"And that is why we must inform Megatron." Prime turned to his mechs. "We must assume Silia knows everything her father did and she may repeat his actions of trying to reach us by Jack or June. If doing so she'd learn that Megatron is involved with June she could harm June just to reach Megatron."

"You think she'd do that?" Blaster asked with worried face. Regardless of what he thought of Decepticons and how their leader associated himself with mother of one of their closest allies, he knew that their human friends needed their protection.

"I am sure of that." Optimus spoke grimly. "They abducted June once before when Silas allied himself with Airachnid. If it was done once it can be done again."

"Yeah, especially that Silia is just as ruthless as her father was. Or more." Fowler leaned on the railing.

"We will also need to make sure that Jack, Miko and Raf are well protected." Optimus added remembering just how aggressive Silia's attacks were.

oOo

Nemesis. Somewhere above Indian Ocean.

Megatron stared at the tablet as if the device insulted him personally and handed it to Starscream who stood next to his Master holding numerous other tablets. To some it would seem that being a Decepticon was exciting string of adventure consisting of plunder, slaughter and debauchery committed in drunken buzz; but in reality it was everything except for that. In fact, being a Decepticon didn't differ that much from being an Autobot and possibly was even more boring. Instead if plunder there was energon scouting. Instead of slaughter there was energon mining. Debauchery was something that happened to others, not that Decepticons lived in celibacy but they were expected to keep their sexual exploits to themselves, have safe sex to avoid any STDs and behave decently in public. And walking around in drunken buzz ended in the brig, if someone wanted to get wasted they'd ought to do it in their free time and be absolutely sober for their next shift. And there were no exceptions.

"Give these reports to Soundwave for archiving." Megatron instructed the Air Commander. "And have an obligatory Neocybex course for all troops, their orthography and grammar is giving me a headache." The Decepticon Lord sighed. "They seem to be more fluent in Earth languages than in their own."

"They have spent more of their lives on Earth than anywhere else and they do use the local languages more often than ours." Starscream noticed. "Who is to hold the course?"

"You will. Your grammar and orthography were always impeccable." Megatron decided.

"Thank you, Master." Starscream bowed his head even though he was not all that happy about having to deal with teaching anyone.

"Sirs, we have an oncoming connection form Autobots." One of the Vehicons called.

"Connect; they never contact us unless they have to." Megatron decided and approached the console.

The image of Optimus Prime appeared immediately. The Autobot Leader didn't wear his mask but his expression was as serious as ever not allowing reading anything out of his face.

"Megatron, we have received news of MECH activity." He spoke in his deep voice.

"They had to re-appear at some point." Megatron didn't seem to be fazed. "What have they done?"

"Nothing yet. But our human allies reported of their activity."

"You think they're up to something?" Megatron narrowed his optics, he knew that Prime would not contact him if he'd think otherwise but he wanted to know what the Prime was thinking.

"I fear that if they wouldn't they would remain hidden." Optimus nodded. "For all this time they managed to stay out of sight."

"Which means that their visible presence is a sign of their increasing activity." Megatron concluded. "And just how active they have become?"

"They were spotted in southern states of USA. They were not caught doing anything significant but one of them has been contacting smugglers."

"This can mean anything. They might plot something serious or just occupy themselves with criminal activity in which case it is human authority's problem." Megatron concluded.

"I realise that. Yet we cannot exclude that they will soon pose threat to any of us. We will increase our protection of our human friends. Silas kidnapped June once to reach Jack and Arcee; I will not risk Silia repeating her father's action."

"My Vehicons are chauffeuring June when she is in need to drive somewhere ever since Airachnid escaped her pod and it stayed that was after she left Earth." Megatron reminded his old enemy. "Taking that it is easier for humans to move around I will order another Decepticon to discreetly guard June's home."

"I will make sure that they cannot harm our other three human friends." Optimus agreed. "I will send my Autobot to secure Raf's house."

"You do realise that it might be false alarm, Prime?" Megatron asked knowing that while Silia had a chip on her shoulder and wanted to avenge her father's death, it could not be the time she would do so and the activity could be unrelated with them.

"I do, but it is better to be safe than sorry." Optimus nodded. "Until next time Megatron."

With that the Prime ended transmission. Megatron narrowed his optics in thought and turned to Starscream.

"Starscream, send additional Insecticons to the New Kaon construction site and get me Soundwave."

"Yes Master, at once." Starscream bowed his head, turned on his heel and hurried out. Lagging at present moment would not be advised, not to mention that Starscream hated MECH just as much as Megatron although for entirely different reasons.

TBC.

1) See my fic "Spider Woman", chapter 3.

2) See Hammerhead, last chapter.

OK, people, a bit slowly but it finally starts! I will do my best to update weekly but if I will have a slip don't worry, I never abandon my stories and this one is no different (not to mention it is already planned and I am merely filling in the narration and dialogs according to the story-board and time line I have made earlier – that's the thing that takes me so long: finding free time to tap on the keyboard).

I am also working simultaneously on another fic, unconnected to Transformers but still containing a sapient robot (this time AI).

Comments and reviews as always welcomed.


	2. Sweet Love

**Sugar.**

" _There's sugar on your soul_

 _You're like no one I know_

 _You're the life of another world_

 _You swallow me whole_

 _With just a mumbled hello_

 _And it breaks my heart to love you,_

 _It breaks my heart to love you_ _"_ – Editors _"Sugar"._

 **Warnings** : Violence, explicit language, controversial subjects.

Timing: Post season 2 finale, in my very own Beauty of the Beast Prime timeline.

Rating: M (possibly even MA).

Pairings: multiple.

Disclaimer: Transformers Prime © Hasbro. Story's plot and OC's © me. There may be some OC's that aren't mine – they belong to their respective creators.

 **Sweet Love.**

" _(…)_ _And the rain fell down_

 _On the cold hard ground_

 _And the phone kept ringing_

 _And we made_ _ **sweet love**_ _(…)"_ _–_ The Rolling Stones _„Rain Fall Down"_

oOo

 _Small town somewhere near Mexican border. December 20_ _th_ _._

Silia sat in truck bar sipping on her coffee and lazily eating pancakes, it was still early enough to serve breakfast but dine was mostly empty. There was some music in the background and few customers talked silently.

Silia opened her laptop and started to look through her e-mails when she heard the chair across her creak, she looked up and saw that a young man sat at her table. He wore black leather jacket and wide smile.

"Hope you don't mine me sitting here." He said. "But I thought that perhaps I could get to know you better." He added still grinning. "You know, you're a pretty girl and I would hate for someone else to get the chance to talk to you before I could…

Silia ignored his monologue in favour of her inbox that was filled with various ads. Some of them she marked as spam and others simply deleted. The guy across her still talked about something that she was more than happy to simply ignore. She looked at the time and then at her phone, it was getting late.

She was about to tell the guy to be kind enough to bugger off when the door opened and two large men walked in. They wore identical armoured uniforms and masks, each was armed with a riffle of some sort and they walked to Silia's table. The young man didn't stop talking about local girls being boring until he noticed them. He immediately shut up not knowing what to expect.

"Ma'am." One of them addressed Silia.

"Took your time, you should be here half an hour ago." She said closing her laptop.

"Apologies ma'am, we caught a flat tire." The man explained.

"Is everything ready?"

"Yes ma'am. The research and creative teams are ready for briefing; they're only awaiting your arrival."

"Good." She stood up, grabbed her computer and quickly finished her coffee in one gulp. "Let's get this over with." She left some money on the table and left without looking back at the young man.

After she left a loud laughter erupted. Its source was group of young people. One of them stood up and still giggling walked to the young man sitting at Silia's table and patted him on the back.

"Told you, Frankie, she wouldn't spare you a second glace." He said with mirth and left the diner.

oOo

 _Darby's house._

Megatron sat on June's couch and watched with amusement as June was assessing her reflection in a mirror mounted on the inside of the walk in closet that Jack was recently ferreting in. She was turning around, looking at her stomach at all possible angles, then lifting her blouse and repeating the action.

To the Decepticon Warmonger it was rather funny sight but he refrained from commenting. It wasn't him who was carrying a Newspark after all. For a moment he wondered how he would behave if he chose to become a femme or carrier mech upon his final upgrade, and found himself in analogous situation. He discarded the thought deciding that he had no idea how he would behave and pondering about it held no sense.

"I believe it is still too early to show anything." Megatron finally spoke.

"I know." June answered still glaring at her reflection. "I'm just wondering if it will be any different than when I was with Jack."

"I imagine it may." He said cocking his head. "Cybertronian, including Techno-organic, development differs from that of a human or other organics for that matter."

"Yes, Ratchet already told me with details of Newspark's gestation." June sighed and closed the door. "I meant the pace of growth and how long it may take. Ratchet said that even with Cybertronians it varies depending on frame type and size of both parents. And with Techno-organics you have to count in the natural pregnancy time of the organic counterpart."

"So, what did is say it would take?"

"He didn't." June sat down next to Megatron. "He said that it is hard to tell at this stage because our sizes differ so much, at least when you're in your natural size."

"I talked to Knockout, he said something similar." Megatron nodded. "He said that the best way is to just observe rate of development and estimate it in such way."

"They're both doctors." June shrugged.

"They are, but it never hurts to get a second opinion." Megatron suggested. "Knockout has newest equipment in his infirmary."

"Well, it wouldn't hurt but if Ratchet ever learned that I went to Knockout he'd take it as personal offence." June laughed.

"Yes, he would. Which normally would be yet another reason to do it, at least for me?" Megatron grinned. "But for you it wouldn't be the best idea to expose yourself to his charming berth-side manners."

"I don't think he'd threaten me with a wrench, but he wouldn't be happy either." June shook her head in amusement and then looked at the mech. "Megatron, how it is with bitlets? Is it hard to take good care of them?"

"I wouldn't know. I have never had to deal with them." Megatron's opticbrows moved up. "Nor I could compare rising a sparkling to raising an organic child, for the same reason."

"I thought that perhaps you have some general idea." She leaned against his arm.

"General you say? Generally it was perceived as a difficult yet manageable task." Megatron glanced back at his mate. "I believe that you already proved that you are a capable parent. Whatever differences there may be, you have two Cybertronian doctors to advise you."

"That's good to know. I'd rather have someone to ask about all the childhood infections and conditions that baby Cybertronians get." June rubbed her forehead, she knew what there was to know about human babies, but Cybertronian ones were one big unknown to her.

"I will tell Knockout to refresh his paediatric knowledge." Megatron promised. "And then tell Shockwave to make sure that he actually did." He added.

June was to say something when a loud horn interrupted her. Its sound was unmistakably familiar. As if to confirm to whom the horn belonged to, the door to Miko's room opened and its occupant jumped out on one leg, still tying the boot laces in one of her combat boots. Her piggy tails were bouncing along with her though her usual outfit (or rather one of the many identical sets) was gone.

"Miko?" June glared at her charge.

"Oh, hey, Mrs D." Miko grinned and finally tied her boot lace. "Sorry for the noise, but 'Bee is getting impatient, I told him I'd be out twenty minutes ago."

"And where are you two going?" June asked measuring Miko from heads to toes with shocked stare. "Vampire convention?"

"Huh?" Miko pulled a stunned face and looked down at her clothes. Indeed, she looked more like goth than her usual punk self. Instead of her shorts she had a mini skirt and her usual top was replaced with something less garish. "Oh, no, we're just going to the drive-in cinema for a horror movie and I wanted to stick to the mood." She explained with wide grin.

"And pray tell what will you torture that poor fool with on this occasion?" Megatron smirked knowing, from his own observations, Miko's cinematographic tastes. "Texas Chainsaw Massacre or Dawn of the Dead?"

"Nah." Miko ignored the 'fool' part of Megatron's question. "We're going for "Evil Dead."

"I don't recognise that title." Megatron glanced at June for any clues.

"I'll tell you later." June promised. "Miko, aren't you a bit under age for that movie?"

"Oh please, I will be 18 soon." Miko rolled her eyes. "And don't worry; I won't have any problems with getting in. I have my agent in the cinema."

"You have a what?" June's eyes turned round.

"There's a guy from my school who works in the cinema that I managed to blackmail into letting me in without checking my ID." Miko cackled like a cartoon villain.

"Miko! That's wrong. And illegal!" June said in disbelief.

"Illegal indeed." Megatron agreed. "Have you ever considered joining my side?"

"Sorry, Big M, I'm a Wrecker." Miko smirked slyly. "And now I go, before 'Bee will drive in to see what holds me." She added and skipped to the door.

There was sound of car doors shutting and loud 'WROOM' when Bumblebee drove away.

"Have you heard her?" June asked Megatron, still in disbelief of what she had heard. "Blackmail?" She shook her head and then gave Megatron suspicious glare. "Have she been in contact with Soundwave? I've heard interesting stories about him."

"Now, June, don't worry about that. And even if she would have any kind of contact with Soundwave, he's too responsible to teach her how to blackmail." Megatron wrapped his arm around his consort. "I know him well and he would never do that."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I am. Soundwave is not daft; he'd never create a blackmailing competition for himself." Megatron explained.

June blinked once and gave Megatron pondering glare. She wasn't sure if he was merely jesting or was honest about his officer's motives. Or it could be both, with Soundwave all was possible and she learned enough about the silent 'Con to know that he was invariably serious, forever loyal and eternally dutiful, but he also was unexpectedly creative and tented to do things his own way.

"Now, now, June, don't worry." Megatron turned fully to June. "It is merely a movie and your wrecking charge is with the worst case of goody two pedes Autobot aside of Prime. She will be fine. Now, let's focus on you." He leaned to her. "The house is empty and it would be a crying shame not to use this opportunity to provide the Newspark with some trasnmetal fluid and nanites. Or better yet, lots of it."

"Megatron, my doctor said I should be careful." June felt that her back contact with the couch cushion. "This is not typical pregnancy and she says that it's very delicate."

"In that case..." Megatron grinned and slipped his left servo under June's back. "You can be on top." He swiftly lifted June and sat her in his lap with one smooth move. "We can desecrate your couch again." He added with predatory grin and pulled her closer to get to her neck.

June's only answer was laugh as she reached for his helmet to take it off. The couch held some interesting memories after all.

oOo

 _Outside of the drive-in cinema. Later._

Bumblebee drove out of the cinema without real hurry but with quite some relief. It wasn't that he was afraid of horror movies. He wasn't a sparkling, not to mention that he was a combatant and witnessed horrors of war that were real so some special effects in a film weren't enough to shook him. He just preferred different kind of movies, preferably light ones; he also enjoyed cartoons even though some of them could be violent. Still he enjoyed drive-in cinema dates with Miko. Mostly because she sat in him, and the fact that she was as lively as always and buzzing with energy. To him she was an electric current embodied in human flesh. With her even a horror movie was bearable.

"That was definitely something new." Miko wriggled in the seat. "But I think I like monster movies better." She decided. "You know, the gigantic alien monsters… I need to get my hands on Cloverfield."

There was buzz and she opened her phone to see what 'Bee's answer was.

[[You know I'm a big alien robot, why don't you put your hand on me?]]

Miko read the message, grinned and put her hands on his steering wheel. "Is that better?"

There was another buzz. [[Better. Better put them in my alt-form.]]

"Oh hoho! Sly, aren't you?" Miko smirked and squeezed the steering wheel earning a yelping beep from taken by surprise Autobot. The steering wheel wasn't erogenous zone but for some Cybertronians it could've been ticklish spot.

Another buzz came and Miko let the wheel go in order to read it.

[[You know that you distracting me will only end with me distracting you back.]] Bumblebee wrote and Miko replied with short, evil cackle.

"Bring it on, buddy; you know what I am capable of… Oh look, pull over, you recognise this place?"

Bumblebee pulled over and scanned the area. It was road side like many others.

[[I don't think so. What is it?]] He sent the message.

"Don't tell me you don't remember." Miko groaned with slight exasperation. "You remember our first date?" She asked and got short, confirming 'beep' as an answer. "It was here that Knockout caught us 1). I recognise the tree. It was exactly here."

[[Really?]] Bumblebee asked with message and then immediately sent another. [[I was more focused on you than some distant trees.]]

"Trust me, it was here." She jumped out and looked around. "Only it was warmer back then."

[[You can stretch on my hood again if you like :* ]] Bumblebee proposed. He stayed in his alt-mode just in case, but that made his bonnet available for Miko.

"I'd rather stretch on you." Miko tapped his wing mirror playfully. "Come on."

[[In public, what if someone will drive by?]] Bumblebee asked. He wasn't so sure that getting all lovey-dovey on a roadside would be such a great idea.

"Who will drive by at this time?"

[[Someone may. And if you take your clothes off you'll get even colder. How about that old abandoned gas station that we were in when Bulkhead caught us?2) We never really returned there.]] Bumblebee suggested. There was a service garage in there and they could get inside. He wasn't shy by any means, he had no reason to, but he appreciated privacy.

Miko read the message and hummed. "That sounds good." She decided. "We could finish what we started that day."

Bumblebee didn't send her any message, instead he opened his door and whirled with enthusiasm – it didn't require translation.

"All right, tiger!" Miko jumped in. "This time we go for it!"

'Bee didn't have to be told twice. The moment Miko was safely buckled in he started with screaming tyres and not only breaking but devastating the speed limit.

TBC.

To LOLA:

Megs already knows. For reference read "Run".

1) For reference see "Date Pains".

2) For reference see "Hammerhead", chapter 19 "From Green to Red".


	3. Fair Lady

**Sugar.**

" _There's sugar on your soul_

 _You're like no one I know_

 _You're the life of another world_

 _You swallow me whole_

 _With just a mumbled hello_

 _And it breaks my heart to love you,_

 _It breaks my heart to love you_ _"_ – Editors _"Sugar"._

 **Warnings** : Violence, explicit language, controversial subjects.

Timing: Post season 2 finale, in my very own Beauty of the Beast Prime timeline.

Rating: M (possibly even MA).

Pairings: multiple.

Disclaimer: Transformers Prime © Hasbro. Story's plot and OC's © me. There may be some OC's that aren't mine – they belong to their respective creators.

 **Fair Lady.**

" _(…) Have you seen her dressed in blue?_

 _See the sky in front of you_

 _And her face is like a sail_

 _Speck of white so fair and pale_

 _ **Have you seen a lady fairer**_ _?_

 _She comes in colours ev'rywhere;_

 _She combs her hair_

 _She's like a rainbow_

 _Coming, colours in the air_

 _Oh, everywhere_

 _She comes in colours_

 _Have you seen her all in gold?_

 _Like a queen in days of old_

 _She shoots her colours all around_

 _Like a sunset going down_

 _Have you seen a lady fairer?_ _(…)"_ _–_ The Rolling Stones _"She's a Rainbow"_

oOo

 _Area 51. Main medical facility. January 14_ _th_ _._

June sat in her doctor's office and watched the physician study her blood work. She wasn't novice to medicine, being a nurse and medicine student made her a lot more knowledgeable than most, but one thing she knew more than well: one should never be one's own doctor. A common cold was one thing but pregnancy was another, especially such an exotic pregnancy.

The Doctor finished reading the blood test results and sighed. From a patient's point of view it could mean anything. From a nurse's point of view it meant just as much.

"These are not the best." The Doctor finally shared her conclusion. "Your previous tests, from when you came first, are better but it doesn't have to mean anything. You already know what you need to eat so just get yourself more iron."

"Yes, I remember from my previous pregnancy how it can roll." June nodded.

"What I am worried about is your blood pressure though." The Doctor continued. "You said that you have low BP but I could see that today it was much higher than your normal levels."

"Yes. And lately it gets higher only to get low again."

"I don't want to get you on any medications in your conditions, especially that these spikes in your BP are not dramatic at this point and you know how to level it with water and rest, but it needs to be under control."

"I have a BP meter at home, it is an electronic semi-automatic one1), but it will show tendency and it's enough for my needs." June said.

"Mercury or aneroid one would be more accurate but an electronic one is enough to warn you that something is happening." The Doctor agreed. "So for now it still is good but it could be better. You need to keep an eye on your blood pressure and get yourself more iron and microelements."

"Thank you doctor." June got up but her face wasn't too happy. "Somehow I hoped that this pregnancy would go easy on me." She added before her doctor could say anything.

"If it was easy it wouldn't be worth it." The Doctor smiled gently. "Don't stress yourself because it won't do you any good, nothing dramatic is happening but you need to be careful. We'll meet at the next visit."

"I hope." June sighed. She knew that her doctor was right, in her age and with what the baby was it wasn't as bad as it could be, but she couldn't stop but think about all the things that could happen, both bad and good. She really needed to talk more about Cybertronian gestation with Ratchet.

oOo

 _Area 51. Special Agent William Fowler's office._

Special Agent William Fowler wasn't the one to complain about boredom. When one was involved with a bunch of gigantic alien robots that fought with another bunch of gigantic alien robots one could get enough excitement for several lifetimes. At least when one was an ex-Ranger well past his best years and who just wanted to survive to his retirement. And when one had to deal with two bands of gigantic alien robots on a war path with bunch of teenagers on top, one enjoyed the rare moments of silence the more.

Right now Fowler was enjoying a solitaire that should not be installed on his computer in the first place. He had signed all the documents he had to, he read all the reports he was to read and he wrote his own. He was done with duties for the moment, and perhaps for the day.

There was a silent but firm knock on his door and Fowler instantly knew that it could mean one of two things: a) work; b) family. It was a hard choice to decide which one was more bothersome.

"What?" He called and the secretary took the yell as a permission to enter.

"Sir, a report about MECH activity." The secretary said with rather unimpressed face. "Agents Thompson and Gunner sent this just now." She put three printed pages on his desk.

"Thanks." He glared at the pages. He knew that it was important and that he needed to read it and that it perhaps it was urgent but he still hated it. "Next time just put it in the 'incoming bin'."

"Sir, that's not an 'incoming bin'." The Secretary smirked. "That's a paper shredder."

"I know."

The Secretary laughed and left Fowler with the report.

oOo

 _At the same time. Darby's house._

June barely managed to return home when an opportunity to get stressed happened. She was to get guest soon and she needed to prepare. She already got Miko and Jack help her with cleaning but she still was stressed. It was to be very important visit after all.

The nurse was distracted from her worrying by Groundbridge opening near her front door and Megatron marching out. He made practice to arrive already size-shifted which was a lot less complicated than arriving in his full-size and downsizing only on the spot. If anything the chance of any of the neighbours spotting him was much smaller.

"Getting ready for tomorrow, I see." Megatron smirked. June was bustling around for few days now.

"You know that I want everything to be perfect." June huffed. "Making fun of me isn't helping."

"You stress too much." He stated flatly. "If I didn't know better I'd thought you have invited the Thirteen Original Primes for a cube of Lowgrade and a light energon treat."

"I know!" June cried. "And my doctor says that I should avoid stressing."

"So don't get stressed." He walked closer. "It's not hard especially that you do not have any reason to, at least not about this." He sat on the couch and immediately got up. "Why is this couch moist? Have you spilled something?"

"No. Miko got slightly overenthusiastic with helping me and decided to wash the couch." June sighed with a small smile. "It should be dry by the evening."

"I wouldn't call that overenthusiastic, given what we did on that couch." Megatron sent June lecherous grin.

"That is what Miko thought. There were your transmetal stains that she found when she dropped her guitar plectrum between cushions." June admitted. "She decided that it was gross and it had to go. You should have seen her; she wore safety goggles, face mask and thick rubber gloves."

"Needless precaution." Megatron laughed. "Especially by someone who gets covered in it quite regularly."

"You don't have to be vulgar." June furrowed her eyebrows and rested her hands on her hips. It was enough that she knew what Miko was doing with Bumblebee; she didn't have to be given mental images.

"I'm not being vulgar, I'm being realistic." Megatron laughed some more. "You don't have to get irritated on top of being stressed. Though you do look beautiful when you're angry."

"You're not helping me, Megatron." June hid her face in her hands. "I need to make sure everything is ready."

"Everything is more than ready." Megatron reached and pulled June closer. "It's not some military inspection; it's just your mother." He embraced his mate. "If you'll make this place any tidier she'll think you live in some sort of museum."

The last comment earned him a slight chuckle. "Joke all you want, but tomorrow's an important day." Looked up, straight into Megatron's chin.

"You sound like you never introduced your consort to your mother before." He answered with humour.

"Yes, but they were not my 'consorts'. And none of them were gigantic robotic tyrants from another planet."

"If you do not feel well enough then you can always call it back." Megatron gently stroke June's back. "You do not have to do it yet, there's plenty of time."

"No, I need to do it at some point." June shook her head. "And doing it when I already am having your baby is pretty late term for introduction as it is."

"Are you sure that you are ready?" Megatron wasn't certain that it was a good idea. Perhaps they should wait; or rather they should have done it earlier?

Stepped back and took Megatron's hand leading him to the kitchen without a word. She opened a drawer that served as medication cabinet and pulled some tranquilizers.

"In case she panics." June smirked and put the drugs away. "That's about as ready as I can get."

This made Megatron laugh. Again. It was why June was so amazing to him – when she made her mind up, there was no stopping her. Her will was as if made of ununtrinium – a hardest element know to Cybertronians – unbendable and unbendable. Quite a Decepticon quality, to be frank.

TBC.

1) It's the kind that you have to pump yourself but it has the electronic measure unit, unlike fully automatic ones that do everything, including pumping the cuff (and I do not trust the fully automatic ones).


	4. Sympathy for the Devil

**Sugar.**

" _There's sugar on your soul_

 _You're like no one I know_

 _You're the life of another world_

 _You swallow me whole_

 _With just a mumbled hello_

 _And it breaks my heart to love you,_

 _It breaks my heart to love you_ _"_ – Editors _"Sugar"._

 **Warnings** : Violence, explicit language, controversial subjects.

Timing: Post season 2 finale, in my very own Beauty of the Beast Prime timeline.

Rating: M (possibly even MA).

Pairings: multiple.

Disclaimer: Transformers Prime © Hasbro. Story's plot and OC's © me. There may be some OC's that aren't mine – they belong to their respective creators.

 **Sympathy for the Devil.**

" _Please allow me to introduce myself_

 _I'm a man of wealth and taste_

 _I've been around for long, long years_

 _Stole many man's soul and faith_

 _(…)_

 _I rode a tank_

 _Held a general's rank_

 _When the blitzkrieg raged_

 _And the bodies stank_

 _Pleased to meet you_

 _Hope you guess my name, oh yeah_

 _Ah, what's puzzling you_

 _Is the nature of my game, oh yeah_ _(…)"_ _–_ The Rolling Stones _"Sympathy for the Devil_ _1_ _)"_

oOo

 _Autobot base Omega – 3. January 14_ _th_ _._

"I don't understand. Why couldn't you just find yourself a decent mech?" Hot Rod's arm traced a wide arch as if to indicate vast number of available Cybertronians. It would be a grand gesture if not for the fact that the rec room was mostly empty.

"I did." Arcee sat with crossed arms and looked like she settled to stay there until the next ice age.

"By decent mech I mean an Autobot." Hot Rod specified. "You know, as in opposite of Decepticon scum."

"I could just as well find myself an Autobot that would be a scum." Arcee was as stoical as possible, not even a minimal twitch of an opticbrow could betray her thoughts. "We're not Circle of Light or Knights of Cybertron, Hot Rod, we're just a faction."

"But we're the good guys."

"No. We're the guys that want to end the war and create a just society." Arcee corrected the young Autobot. "It doesn't necessarily mean that every single Autobot is a living saint. Just like not every Prime is a good and caring leader."

"You don't have to tell that to me, you know." Hot Rod winced. He heard enough about his uncle Sentinel, and he remembered Zeta's regime.

"Then why are you pestering me with this conversation?"

"Because I just can't get it! Why have you chosen one of the most notorious Decepticons in existence over finding yourself a decent Autobot?" Hot Rod snapped.

"And I told you again and again: mind your own business." Arcee's left optic twitched but that was as far as she would permit her face to betray her mood. This was an old song and dance between her and Hot Rod. He would pester her about Shockwave and she would tell him that it was none of his business.

"Leave it, Hot Rod." Blaster called from behind the communication console. He was the last person someone could call a 'Con lover but even he knew that to Arcee Shockwave wasn't merely a Decepticon.

Blaster wanted to say something more but he was interrupted by loud pinging from his console. One look at the computer screen told him it was Fowler; he instantly connected the call – Fowler only bothered to call if something happened.

"Agent Fowler, how can I help you today?" He asked with one of his charming smiles.

"Blaster. Where's Prime, I have some news!" The human glared at the communication specialist.

"Out." Blaster shrugged. "Something important?"

"MECH."

"Say no more, Special Agent William Fowler." Blaster's smile evaporated but not entirely. He was told what he had to know about MECH and he knew that the organisation was their number one adversary. At least as long as the Decepticons kept to the truce. "I'm sending you a 'Bridge and call Optimus."

oOo

It took five minutes for the Prime to arrive dragging Jazz along. Both mechs were energon scouting in Australia and even though they had cease fire with Decepticons they kept the rule of not scouting or patrolling alone. One of the reasons was MECH.

"Fowler, my man." Jazz grinned. "Any happy news for me?"

"Depends if you consider MECH happy news." Fowler glared at the mech.

"I trust you have important information Agent Fowler?" Prime remained stoic. His old friend was more enthusiastic about the planet mostly because he was constantly discovering something new among humans.

"We have confirmation of MECH activities." Fowler leaned against the rail. "They are up to something and what we saw previously wasn't coincidental."

"MECH is up to something." Arcee huffed. "Why it doesn't surprise me anymore?"

"Prime, keep your people alert." Fowler ignored Arcee's comment. "We don't know what they're doing but our observations are frequent enough to mean something's going on."

The Prime hummed. They would have to be cautious, but they couldn't just shy away from their usual routine.

"Any idea what they're tryin' to do?" Jazz was now serious and still his voice was filled with positive energy.

"With MECH it can be anything. But whatever they're working on, it is happening down south." Fowler pointed down even though the actual south was behind him at the moment.

"South of the USA or south from USA?" Blaster asked from behind his console.

"Can be both." Fowler admitted. "But they're hovering around the border so my guess is that it's happening on both sides of the border."

"That would mean they have to navigate their way through the border control." Optimus pointed out.

"High risk ops." Jazz nodded.

"I know." Fowler sighed. "My best is that they're smuggling something through the border."

"The question is what they're smuggling and which way." Arcee added her own input.

"It can be anything. And there is a way to smuggle anything."

"And if they're not really smuggling anything?" Hot Rod asked earning himself stares from everyone.

"There's that." Fowler shrugged. "It may be just regular illegal activity like smuggling illegal immigrants. Or they might be smuggling weapons or anything really. And they might be smuggling in or out. Or they're selling information to drug cartels. Or they might be setting a base of operations and just checking the neighbourhood."

"So, you didn't really learn anything new?" Arcee asked.

"I know that they're remaining there."

"Autobots will stay alert while travelling close to the area you observed MECH agents." Prime summarised. "I should inform Megatron of this, MECH is equally hostile toward both our factions."

"And the last thing we want is one of the 'Cons to fall into MECH's hands and give them any more edge than they already have." Blaster agreed.

"I will keep you posted in case we would find their base and could bust them." Fowler promised.

"Just give us some a word an' we'll can 'em all." Jazz's grin returned his energy like a volcano but there was a darker, predatory sparkle under visor, a rare glimpse of the part of him that he usually hid well beneath his easy going attitude.

Many people only ever saw his smiling side. His highly amiable and composed persona that never loosed his cool and seemingly effortlessly remained in control of the situation at all times was what he was known for by everyone he met. But few knew that there was less pleasant side to him. Mostly because no one really expected that underneath this friendly and relaxed surface hid a lethally efficient warrior.

"Keep the enthusiasm down, soldier, for now we're not canning anyone." Fowler sighed.

"In order to cause MECH as severe damage we need to reach their higher ranks." Optimus agreed. "Blaster, call Nemesis, we will inform them that we have confirmed and prolonging MECH activity."

oOo

 _The next day. June's house._

There was a loud but polite knock to June's front door. June was by the door instantly and opened it only to see her mother's smiling face. The woman held well, lean and maintaining her shapely silhouette. No one would guess her age, though the grey hair betrayed it. Should she ever dye it she would look good ten years younger.

"June! How are you doing?" Jill instantly stepped in. "You have no idea how happy I am that I will have another grandchild… speaking of which, where's Jack?" She scanned the room and set her course to Jack. "Jack! I need to see you more often! Oh, and who is that young lady here? Your girlfriend perhaps?"

"Mother!" June closed the door and pulled sour face.

"No, Grandma, this is Miko." Jack smiled awkwardly. Not that Miko wasn't a pretty girl, but he felt awkward. At this point dating Miko would be just like dating his own sister, if he had one.

"Ah! Miko. Yes. You look very energetic." Jill beamed at the girl, who grinned with a smile of her own – one that looked like a quarter of a watermelon.

"Mother!" June rubbed her forehead. Sometimes her mother seemed livelier than herself. "Would you just please calm down and sit?"

"Oh fine, take the last joys from an old woman." Jill frowned and didn't sit. "And stop doing that face, you look like a gnome."

"Mum!" June turned red. She was starting to believe that it wasn't such a good idea to introduce her mother to Megatron. In fact it might have been the terrible idea considering just what kind of things her mother could tell him… She was about to start to silently pray that Jill wouldn't tell any stories of June's infancy.

"June, can you blame me for being excited about finally, meeting your partner and father of my newest grandchild?" Jill gave her daughter a gentle, motherly look. "I think you should sit yourself. You're nervous. What's the matter? Don't tell me he won't make it."

"No, he will be here… err… presently." June bit her lower lip, feeling less and less confident about this entire meeting.

"Oh, June, sweetie, what's the nerves for? It's just your new man, not some alien invader." Jill was trying to calm her daughter but only managed to make June groan.

"Mrs Jack's Grandma, if you only knew." Miko laughed darkly.

Jill blinked wondering what the hell the girl could mean when she heard a dark, raspy voice behind her back.

"Good afternoon Madame." The low, deep voice said.

Jill felt the tiny hair on her neck standing up; the voice had to belong to someone tall because she felt it coming from above. It also had very confident quality; it had to belong to someone authoritarian.

Jill turned back and...

oOo

 _Later._

Arcee sat in the garage with her back against the wall and her slim legs stretched in front of her. Jack was sitting next to her toying with his bicycle's wheel. Arcee came to visit out of sheer curiosity. Jack was nervous about his grandmother's reaction to Megatron ever since he was told that they were to finally meet. Now that the meeting was over she wanted to know how it went and perhaps cheer Jack up a bit if it was a disaster.

It was already late evening but Jack was happy to just sit there and tell Arcee of the events of this afternoon. He just managed to tell her what happened after Jill saw Megatron for the first time.

"And what happened then?" Arcee asked. She wasn't sure what she was expecting to happen, but fainting seemed rather mild reaction to seeing someone like Megatron.

"I and mum freaked a bit at first. You know, Grandma managed to hit the floor and Megatron looked surprised. I have never seen him having optics that large." Jack smirked. It was rewarding to see Megatron stunned by anything, though back then he was too busy being terrified about his grandmother. "And then mum's nurse mode kicked in and Miko helped her to get Grandma on the couch. I went for some water for her."

"And Megatron?"

"He stood there awkwardly." Jack grinned fully. "I think it was the first time someone fainted at his sight when he wanted to actually be nice."

Arcee laughed. She knew Megatron as bloodthirsty – or energon thirsty – warmonger to who people fainting at his mere sight wasn't anything new, or at least shouldn't be anything new. But in this situation such a reaction was probably not what he expected.

"It took us few moments to get Grandma to come back and calm down."

"Shock therapy. You took it rather easy but to your Grandmother it was far greater shock."

"It probably was. Though she managed rather well and then the mild tranquilisers started to work so Grandma was calm enough to actually chat with Megatron." Jack continued his tale. "It looked so weird but in the end she decided that she likes him, certainly prefers him over my dad."

"That speaks volumes." Arcee stated. She knew enough about June's failed marriage and knew June's personal opinion of her ex-husband to imagine that Jill didn't hold much love for Jack's father.

"You have no idea!" Jack sighed.

TBC.

1) Because Megatron meets June's mum here, I think it fits in some wicked way.


	5. Enjoy the Silcence

**Sugar.**

" _There's sugar on your soul_

 _You're like no one I know_

 _You're the life of another world_

 _You swallow me whole_

 _With just a mumbled hello_

 _And it breaks my heart to love you,_

 _It breaks my heart to love you_ _"_ – Editors _"Sugar"._

 **Warnings** : Violence, explicit language, controversial subjects.

Timing: Post season 2 finale, in my very own Beauty of the Beast Prime timeline.

Rating: M (possibly even MA).

Pairings: multiple.

Disclaimer: Transformers Prime © Hasbro. Story's plot and OC's © me. There may be some OC's that aren't mine – they belong to their respective creators.

 **Enjoy the Silence.**

" _Words like violence_

 _Break the silence_

 _Come crashing in_

 _Into my little world_

 _Painful to me_

 _Pierce right through me_

 _Can't you understand_

 _Oh my little girl_

 _(…)_

 _Vows are spoken_

 _To be broken_

 _Feelings are intense_

 _Words are trivial_

 _Pleasures remain_

 _So does the pain_

 _Words are meaningless_

 _And forgettable_ _(…)"_ _–_ Depeche Mode _"Enjoy the Silence_ _1_ _)"_

oOo

 _Nemesis, somewhere over Antarctica. January 17_ _th_ _._

The day was calm to the point of boredom. The bridge was silent, the crew performed all the duties without chatter, Starscream was reading reports and fighting the urge to fall into a coma from the sheer dullness of what he had to read. Megatron glared in front of himself, observing the wall of screen that displayed an empty air they were floating through. His glare was unfocused so the chances were that he either was thinking about something else or he learned to recharge with his optics closed. Both options were not only probable but also plausible. Shockwave was busy with typing at his console. It was probably something scientific and difficult. Should it be anyone else one could suspect they would be typing with their current love interest or simply reading some porn stories. But this was Shockwave which meant that despite being involved with someone he was still focused solemnly on his work.

The silent beep snapped everyone from their work induced stupor. Megatron blinked and turned to the lower level of the bridge.

"What is it Soundwave?" He asked looking down at his TIC. The silent mech was the closest thing he got to a friend and always performed to the top of his abilities. There was only one problem with him: he was blending into the background so damn well that he was easy to forget about which could lead to few Spark attacks if he chose to make himself known. Luckily they all managed to get accustomed to such things.

Soundwave looked up at his Lord and tapped one small key with a single, long digit. The wall of screen flickered and displayed a map of central and southern America. Two places were marked and short descriptions appeared.

Megatron glared at two, pulsing, red dots on the otherwise empty map.

"Excellent work, Soundwave." He praised his spymaster. It was yet another proof that Soundwave was, indeed, superior. "How did you found that?"

Soundwave said nothing even though he radiated his satisfaction from being praised so intensely that it probably leaked to the corridors. Instead he displayed three human pictures and then added a map of connections between them and the two locations. The meaning was clear. He managed to discover two MECH facilities thanks to connecting two civilians and one military man, the additional data next to the pictures indicated that he did so thanks to their internet activity.

"Well, I'll be!" Starscream glared at the map. "Ha had to be combing the internet for that since who knows how long?"

In reply Soundwave displayed a date: December 18th, the day when the Prime told them about MECH re-surfacing. It was a good moth prior to his findings. He must have found the third one thanks to the two of which they knew already.

"It was probably easier than you think." Shockwave decided to join the conversation. "With two MECH agents and their stomping ground there was a firm starting point, though it must have been most monotone and time consuming task."

"Regardless if it was difficult or not, this is significant finding." Megatron decided. "We have moved forward in our search of MECH, thanks to Soundwave." He added eyeing Starscream who tried to not look irritated.

"Do you wish me to assemble two teams and raid both sites, Master?" Starscream asked wanting to show some of his own pro-active approach.

"No. We would only destroy two facilities and I want to strike the MECH as hard as possible. Serve them a lethal blow if possible." Megatron stomped forward to the map and MECH agents' pictures. "I will consult this with Prime; perhaps more… subtle approach will serve us better."

"What do you mean, Master?" Starscream lowered his wings in confusion.

He was accustomed to Megatron being brutal and even under June's influence he remained rough. Megatron trying to be subtle and patient was something he feared. The Decepticon Warmonger was more than capable of being cunning and calculating especially that the mech was surprisingly intelligent, but it usually ended with Starscream in heap of trouble. At least the brutality ended when Megatron run out of his anger, while the cunning and cruelty lasted. Lately Starscream worked hard to avoid being on working end of Megatron's fists and managed quite well. Actually being loyal (even if forced to by circumstances) paid way better than being not loyal and back stabbing (especially that behind back stabbing Starscream stood Soundwave gathering blackmail materials and stopping him from the actual backstabbing – in that exact order). But the sentiment remained.

"Observation and tracking these three two-bit agents to reach their superiors, perhaps the entire MECH central command structure." Megatron explained. He was irritated at Starscream for asking such a stupid question but he said nothing understanding that the Air Commander was still unsure of his position on Nemesis – and he preferred for it to stay that way. Confident Starscream was scheming Starscream.

"It is the most logical approach in current situation." Shockwave agreed even though no one really asked him for his opinion. "Dissembling entire organisation is naturally preferable than disposing of mere three low ranking members."

"Soundwave." Megatron didn't comment Shockwave's input to the conversation. "Call the Autobots."

Soundwave wordlessly turned back to his console and opened the channel. They have waited couple of seconds before it was answered.

The face they saw belonged to smiling Blaster, who upon seeing who called instantly turned sombre. He reconciled with the fact of ceasefire and that the Decepticons weren't their immediate enemies for the moment. But he knew that the mere fact of truce didn't mean that he had to be happy to see them. For now he settled into cold professionalism.

"What do you need?" He asked.

"Your coordinates and access codes to your front door would do nice for a start." Megatron mocked. He knew it did not befit him but sometimes he just couldn't help himself. Entire war spent on hating and mocking his enemies left some habits that just wouldn't die. "But for now Prime will do just well."

"Har har har." Blaster's face was like granite. "Boss! Some old joker for you!"

"I've heard him, Blaster." The unmistakable bass of the Prime answered and the mech appeared in the camera range of the communication console.

"Into your servos, Boss." Blaster gave one last glare to Megatron before walking away. Its temperature was comparable to a glacier.

"A true merry bunch you have there, Prime." Megatron smirked with a hint of a barb.

"What do you need Megatron?" Optimus wasn't impressed. Megatron never called if he didn't need to and there was either graveness or mockery. Though to give him justice, the mockery was usually very light for Decepticon standards, practically hygienic kind.

"My superb Communication Officer and Spymaster have discovered location of two MECH facilities." Megatron said with enough volume to be sure that the rest of the Autobot Base had to hear him. "I came to a conclusion that the best approach will be to discreetly observe them."

"You expect that through those facilities we will be able to reach MECH's high command." Optimus didn't ask as much as he simply stated.

"Indeed." Megatron nodded. "Shockwave agrees with me."

"In addition we should continue observation of the active MECH agents. Perhaps they will lead us to more facilities." Prime proposed.

"Soundwave continues his observation, he managed to reach a third MECH agent. He will send you all details." Megatron informed.

"Good. I believe we should split the facilities between our respective teams." Optimus stated. He knew that Decepticons could cover both sides without much problem, but he didn't want to leave all threads in Megatron's servos. Autobots needed to be active.

"Agreed. You can choose which facility your team will be observing. Just notify us which one you prefer and we will take the other."

"We will. We also will inform Agent Fowler of your discovery." Prime stated.

"Naturally. Until next time, Optimus." The Decepticon Tyrant nodded and disconnected and turned to Soundwave. "Assemble a team to observe the facility that will be ours. Choose whomever you like as long as they're up to task."

Soundwave looked up at his Lord and nodded once. The order he was given would be followed and as always performed flawlessly.

oOo

 _General Brice's office. Later that day._

Agent Fowler walked into the office looking too relaxed for General's taste. Fowler was a serious man and he usually was slightly tensed, it was his inner Ranger showing and it was natural. If the Agent was not tensed he was either off duty or he was about to start talking about his Grandma. And since he was in General's office it meant that he was not off-duty which left only the Grandma scenario.

"Agent Fowler I hope to God I won't hear anything about any Grandma." He said shifting in his chair.

"No sir." Fowler almost winced; he didn't like to be reminded about when he was babbling about his Grandma. It usually involved head injuries, his head injuries. "I have a report for you and thought that I might as well deliver it to you personally." He handed a printed sheet of paper. "Sir."

"Something new occurred?" The General took the report with surprised face.

"Decepticons discovered two MECH facilities." Fowler said suspiciously calmly. "They have contacted Autobots and the Autobots sent me all the data they received from Megatron."

General Brice's eyes turned round. That was not what he expected to hear. He quickly looked into the report. It wasn't much but it was more than they had. Way more than they had.

"How did they manage to stumble upon this?" He asked with mild shock.

"Soundwave." Fowler said as it would explain everything. And it did. They had enough about the Decepticons on Earth for General Brice to not only recognise the name but also know that the person behind it was one of Megatron's most trusted and talented followers.

Brice had to admit that if not for the fact that technically Soundwave was an enemy, he would love to have the guy on his team.

"This is all you have?"

"Yes. They only discovered the sites." Fowler explained. "I was told that they are yet to take steps."

"What kind of steps?" General Brice paled. This could mean anything and everything. They were, after all, two bunches of gigantic alien robots capable of all kinds of craziness imaginable and then some. He preferred not to think of the size of mess they could cause.

"They agreed to discreetly observe the sites." Fowler said and saw that the General started to breathe again. "They will share. Autobots will take one and Decepticons will take the other. They want to learn what kinds of facilities are those and find out how they're connected to MECH's higher management."

"Good, good." Brice nodded. "Make sure they share their findings with us."

"Will do, sir." Fowler smirked. Perhaps finally they would end the MECH. Ever since he clashed with Silas he had personal grudge with the organisation.

"Dismissed. And good job."

"Yes sir, thank you sir." Agent Fowler turned away and walked out of the office.

General Brice sighed. MECH started as all military organisation composed from US soldiers, some still in active duty. He knew that now it consisted of civilian scientists and trained militant individuals as well but he also knew that there were some US military men and women there as well. After Ripley's cooperation they managed to catch quite a number of traitors but he didn't know all of them by their names, even less personally so that he could confirm their MECH connections. And then there were those who joined MECH after he's been captured. The number was considerably lesser but even one soldier joining MECH was one soldier too many.

The General realised that once the MECH was completely over, or at least it was over in US military forces, it would cause an earthquake in Pentagon. Its size would depend on how many MECH agents they would find and what their ranks would be, but the General was sure that it would be devastating news to some people no matter what. Heads would roll without a doubt. He was certain that he and his people were safe – they were not only clean, he made sure of that himself, but they also fought MECH. Still, there were people who wouldn't have the luxury that he himself had. There were people who would be in heap of trouble. He made a mental note to make sure that his department was secured against possible saboteurs who would want to cover their own arses.

oOo

 _January 19_ _th_ _. Somewhere in Mexico._

Team of Autobots were hiding on a bushy hill. It was merely the second day of the observation but it was already clear that it was some sort of metallurgic facility. They weren't sure yet if it was a rolling mill or foundry though. It was large building in the middle of nowhere. It had to serve some purpose at some point but then it was abandoned, that much was clear due to the state it was in. It could have been anything but it didn't matter, at the moment it was MECH's metal work facility and it was chosen wisely. There was no hiding spot in vicinity. No other buildings. No bushes or orchards or anything in the kind.

The four Autobots, Bumblebee, Wheeljack, Blaster and Steeljaw; had to settle on rather far hill with some bushes on top in order to be able to observe anything. They were able to zoom in on the facility but even if they wanted to get into it they would have to cross the empty space between their position and the facility without any kind of cover. It was a terrible place to observe but the alternative wasn't all that nice either. MECH surely knew where to place its secret workshops.

They took Steeljaw with them in hopes that he would be able to sneak in and sniff around but so far they had no idea how to deliver the cat-former to the place. Their initial plan was for Bumblebee and Steeljaw to infiltrate the facility, look around, perhaps place some bugs and Wheeljack and Blaster to cover them. The initial plan failed miserably without them even trying. The moment they were on the spot they knew it was not possible to perform.

For the moment they were simply sitting in the bush and watch the place. Perhaps some opportunity would show itself at some point?

oOo

 _Somewhere in Guatemala. Two weeks later._

The MECH facility was surrounded by thick forest. Well, not exactly. The MECH facility was surrounded by wide strip of cleared field that was surrounded by thick forest. The field was under surveillance of both guards and cameras. The guards were armed. The cameras were protected.

Group of Decepticons sat in convenient placed group of thick shrubs, trees and all kinds of foliage. They sat there – changed sometimes by another group – for some time and continued observation of the MECH facility. So far they learned that it was producing ceramic elements of some sort, way too large to be tea cups.

They never infiltrated the facility but they didn't have to. They saw couple deliveries of the by-product and that was all they needed to see to be able to tell what was made inside. The product that was taken away was not table-service by any means.

All in all it was dull duty. Pottery wasn't all that fascinating, especially for creatures that had no use for it. The jungle was irritating with all the plants, insects, temperature, humidity and boredom. No one would appreciate such conditions be they humans or Cybertronians, especially if said Cybertronians were Decepticons.

"Aww mech." One of them whined silently. It was midday, the insects were buzzing everywhere, it was hot and humid. "I'ma goin' ta set roots here, ya know."

"Shut up, Frenzy." Another voice growled. It was much lower than the first one.

"He's right, Barricade." Third one whispered. "We're sitting here for two weeks now. We've learned what was to learn."

"I said shut up." Barricade turned to the owner of the third voice. "We're staying for as long as we have to."

"I need to stretch my wings." The third Decepticon moved slightly. He was a Seeker and sitting on the ground wasn't doing him any good.

"Skywarp, you sit on your aft or I'll tie you down." Barricade narrowed his optics. The last thing they needed to be discovered.

"I'll warp away, no one will know."

"I said sit down and shut up."

"Boss gave us orders." Fourth voice whispered. "I'm not goin' ta get on his bad side 'cause ya need ta squirm all the time."

"Rumble's right. Ya don't want to get on 'Wave's bad side, 'Warp." Frenzy sighed silently. "Or worse, get us there." He added recalling that if the slag would go flying, the Seeker could simply teleport away leaving them behind.

"Oh, come on." Skywarp wouldn't give up. He would get nasty cramps if he stayed as he was any longer. "What's the point? We already know what they're doing here. I could use some more space to stretch my wings and maybe a cube." He added. A slim tentacle with vibrant bio-lights handed him a small cube of energon. "Why, thank you." He smiled and then almost jumped out of his plating pouring the liquefied energon all over himself.

"On, hiya, boss." Rumble grinned and the two other Decepticons almost jumped.

Soundwave stood there in the shadow. None of them noticed when he arrived and how, but now his presence was evident. The Spymaster retracted his tentacle and continued to stand there.

"Umm, ahhh… "Skywarp wasn't the most comfortable mech at the moment. The energon dripping from his form didn't make him feel any better.

Barricade fought the urge to smirk. It was always like that with Soundwave, he always came when you'd expect him the least.

Soundwave continued to stare from behind his visor for a moment and then opened a Groundbridge behind conveniently thick tree. The message was clear: they were to leave the place.

All four got up and as silently as they could walk to the 'Bridge leaving the area. Soundwave walked the few paces to where they were settled. He kneeled on one knee to take a peek through the bushes at the facility. He watched it for a second or two, got up and walked into the Groundbridge. The colourful vortex of light swirled there for a moment longer and then it dissolved. The only evidence of Decepticon presence was few broken twigs, some crumpled plants and few drops of energon from the spilled cube.

TBC.

This chapter is dedicated to everyone who would wish that there was more Soundwave everywhere in TF stories: there cannot be more Soundwave because if there was he would get way to common sight, but whenever he shows himself it is significant. Let us all give the appreciation that silent spymasters deserve.

1) It starts with Soundwave and ends with Soundwave, and with him you either enjoy the silence or quit.


	6. Vision Thing

**Sugar.**

" _There's sugar on your soul_

 _You're like no one I know_

 _You're the life of another world_

 _You swallow me whole_

 _With just a mumbled hello_

 _And it breaks my heart to love you,_

 _It breaks my heart to love you_ _"_ – Editors _"Sugar"._

 **Warnings** : Violence, explicit language, controversial subjects.

Timing: Post season 2 finale, in my very own Beauty of the Beast Prime timeline.

Rating: M (possibly even MA).

Pairings: multiple.

Disclaimer: Transformers Prime © Hasbro. Story's plot and OC's © me. There may be some OC's that aren't mine – they belong to their respective creators.

 **Vision Thing.**

" _Twenty-five whores in the room next door_

 _Twenty-five floors and I need more_

 _I'm looking for the can in the candy store_

 _2000 Hamburg 4_

 _And colours I ain't seen before_

 _It's a small world and it smells funny_

 _I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money_

 _Take back what I paid_

 _For another motherfucker in a motorcade_

 _(…)_

 _What do we need to make our world come alive?_

 _What does it take to make us sing?_

 _While we're waiting for the next one to arrive?_

 _One million points of light_

 _One billion dollar Vision Thing_

 _Another black hole in the killing zone_

 _A little more mad in the methedrome_

 _One blinding flash of sense_

 _Just like the president's_

 _Well I don't mind_

 _Out of my mind_

 _Blizzard king, bring it on home_ _(…)"_ _–_ Sisters of Mercy _"Vision Thing"_

oOo

 _February 4_ _th_ _. Somewhere in a desert area._

Beaten up pick-up truck sped on a desert area leaving cloud of dust in its wake. Not that anyone could mind or even notice. The place was not only a desert, it was also deserted. The area seemed like the type of place that people say that birds are flying by belly up because it's not worth the effort to crap on.

That was exactly why the owner of the pick-up was there – because it was so empty that no one really cared much what was happening there. Not very surprisingly – for why would anyone get to such a place – the pick-up reached group of other cars. Most of them were old jeeps that looked even more beaten up than the puck-up. Even if anyone would notice them, they would assume that it was some redneck assembly where few middle aged types would complain about things these days, their prostate problems and why it is all immigrants' fault. And then perhaps they would go and lynch someone. Such assumptions couldn't be farer from the truth.

The assumed middle aged (and mildly obese) rednecks, while some of them were indeed middle aged, were far from being obese, mildly or otherwise, and they were nowhere near of being rednecks. In fact they were in prime condition, tall, built like body builder wild fantasy military or militant type of people. And the pick-up truck owner was a woman. Her curly, blonde hair was dancing on the wind like a golden halo that could belong to an angel. Her hour glass shaped figure could turn a saint into a sinner. Her eyes were obsidian black and so cold that could belong to the Grim Reaper's evil twin.

MECH high command assembled in the middle of nowhere to…

"Ma'am. This is the site we have chosen for the initial tests." A tall man in goggled mask stood in full attention. "As you can see it is removed far removed from any settlements."

"Perfect." Silia nodded. "Moriarty." She addressed her SIC. "Prepare the site for tests. I will make sure that the inventive team is ready."

"Yes Silia." Moriarty nodded. He was an older man. He was still in pristine shape but he lacked the slimness of a young man. His stance, his figure and his voice betrayed that he was a seasoned MECH agent, both confident and experienced enough not to fall into traps of youthful bravado.

"Splendid." Silia smirked with satisfaction. She liked when everything was going according to her plans and expectations.

oOo

 _General Brice's office. Area 51._

Special Agent William Fowler was waiting for General Brice to see him. The General was having a long and long conversation with the Secretary of State about one thing or another. Fowler knew that such thing could take long time but he didn't mind. Especially that he was having a long conversation of his own.

Optimus Prime called him shortly after he arrived to his superior's office, telling him that he has received reports about the observed MECH facilities from both his own mechs and Decepticons. They now knew what was produced in the hidden manufactures. It was vital information if only for the fact that now they could at least speculate what the MECH's newest scheme could be.

"Sir, General will have you now." Brice's secretary gestured at the door to the General's office.

"I will call later, Prime, have to finish." Fowler ended the connection. "Thank you, Lieutenant." He passed the young man's desk and entered the office closing the door.

oOo

General Brice was sitting behind his desk with small hill of papers in front. The man was putting them into piles; apparently he was searching for something there.

"Sir." Fowler announced his presence and the General looked up at him.

"Sit." He said pointing at the chair. "Do you have anything about the MECH? My superiors are pressing for results." He said. He just received an ear-full about lack of progress with tracking down and neutralising a dangerous terrorist organisation.

"Yes sir, I do sir. It isn't much but it's a start." Fowler sat.

He knew that MECH was one of the top priorities. If the public knew that US managed to breed one of the most dangerous terrorist groups this earth ever carried the Government would be finished. Not to mention US reputation. They were the ones to fight terrorists not bread them. The fact that MECH came to be back in the end of the Cold War didn't change anything. The only thing they could be grateful for was that MECH wasn't the type of organisation that bombed innocent people (not that they cared) but simply strived for world domination without prejudices.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Report! I need to have something, anything to give the white collars in D.C."

"It is the two sites that Decepticon discovered. Now we know what they are." Fowler shrugged. Now it didn't seem like much information. "The one in Mexico is manufacturing metal elements and the one in Guatemala makes ceramic parts."

"Metallurgy and pottery?" The General's eyes turned round.

"There are various possibilities…" Fowler started.

"What kind of metal?" The General asked. It was true that there were many possibilities. That included anything from cheap coffee mugs and silverware to surgical steel elements and ceramic dental implants which meant that he needed to narrow the wide spectrum of 'could-be's'.

"Copper and silver, but also steel." Fowler said. "Can't say what they're doing with it tough. The Autobots only know that they were receiving small transports of these metals."

"And the ceramic elements?"

"Large elements. Decepticons don't care for such things but they reported that the boxes were a small energon cube sized. Given the fact that the boxes were probably filled with something to secure whatever it was it had to be smaller than that."

"Say the size of ceramic insulators?" The General asked while glaring at whatever he saw behind his window.

"Well… "Fowler started and blinked when his mind caught up with what the General said.

"They're doing something involving electricity." Brice turned away from his window. "Say, high voltage electricity?" He pointed at his window where in some distance stood an electric transformation station.

"It does add." Fowler admitted. It did have sense. The copper and silver were two best conductors used in electric industry and the steel could have been used for anything involving construction.

"Now, what are they up to?" Brice walked back to his desk.

"They're setting up some more permanent lair and need electricity from the high voltage lines?" Fowler speculated.

"Or they're laying an electric network in some secret base of theirs." Brice shrugged. "It can be anything."

"Why not simply buy it all? Why bother to set some secret factories?"

"It would be too easy to track. People don't go to a convenient store and but high voltage items. They're doing all they can to keep a low profile." Brice sat down tiredly. "And they're doing a great job at it."

"Still nothing on our side?" Fowler guessed.

"Not a single fishy action." Brice sighed. "They do absolutely nothing suspicious."

"Impossible." Fowler huffed. There had to be something. Anything. "No one's that calm unless they're six feet under."

"They're behaving like bunch of kinder garden brats." The General barked with irritation. "Not even a striptease! The most suspicious activity that we managed to observe was eating junk food at Burger King and talking about Super Bowl!"

"But if they're sitting quietly down south, and we have no other signals of anything MECH related… Then where in the name of Uncle Sam's top hat all the stuff they're producing going?"

"A question worth of million dollars." Brice summed up.

TBC.


	7. Breaking the Law

**Sugar.**

" _There's sugar on your soul_

 _You're like no one I know_

 _You're the life of another world_

 _You swallow me whole_

 _With just a mumbled hello_

 _And it breaks my heart to love you,_

 _It breaks my heart to love you_ _"_ – Editors _"Sugar"._

 **Warnings** : Violence, explicit language, controversial subjects.

Timing: Post season 2 finale, in my very own Beauty of the Beast Prime timeline.

Rating: M (possibly even MA).

Pairings: multiple.

Disclaimer: Transformers Prime © Hasbro. Story's plot and OC's © me. There may be some OC's that aren't mine – they belong to their respective creators.

 **Breaking the Law.**

" _(…) So much for the golden future, I can't even start_

 _I've had every promise broken, there's anger in my heart_

 _you don't know what it's like, you don't have a clue_

 _if you did you'd find yourselves doing the same thing too_

 _Breaking the law, breaking the law_

 _Breaking the law, breaking the law_

 _Breaking the law, breaking the law_

 _Breaking the law, breaking the law (…)"_ _–_ Judas Priest _"Breaking the Law"_

oOo

 _February 4_ _th_ _. Autobot base Omega - 3._

It was evening and the Autobot base was calm and quiet already. The humans were gone and most of the Autobots were either recharging or out. Jazz was spending his monitor duty watching some TV. Optimus lingered around finishing his day's work.

Outside storm was raging and waves were crashing on the rocky shore but inside was dry and warm. A wave of laughter from whatever sitcom Jazz was enjoying was disturbed by chiming of the communication console. Jazz immediately muted the show and glanced at who was insane enough to call at such an hour. It was Agent Fowler.

"OP, it's the Fowler calin'. Wanna answer this?" He called to his old friend and leader."

"Yes. If Agent Fowler is calling at such a late hour it must be important." Optimus rose and slowly walked over to Jazz.

"Prime!" Fowler's face appeared on the screen. The man was still in his office and looked dead tired.

"Yes Agent Fowler. What has happened?" Optimus approached the console to enter the camera range.

"I've been talking with General Brice about what you have found." Fowler spoke but his voice lacked the usual edge, it was replaced with tiredness. "The ceramic elements and the metal work can be elements of some electric installation and the General thinks that it must be high voltage lines."

"It is probable." Prime agreed. He too believed that such explanation was the most logical.

"I've spent last couple of hours looking for their smuggling routes and where all their 'production' could have surfaced, and I found nothing!"

"Perhaps they are not smuggling these elements but are building their base outside of United States borders?" Optimus asked. If all the items were not transported to US then they could not be found there. Instead they could have ended in entirely different location.

"I thought about it too. But if they were not smuggling it through our border then what would their agents be doing near it for so long?"

"That is a sound question." Optimus nodded.

"Maybe they're doin' somethin' else there?" Jazz interrupted.

"Maybe. But we still need to bust the MECH and these agents and facilities are our only trace." Fowler pointed out. "Whatever they're doing it can't be legal."

"And we still need to track these elements." Optimus agreed.

"My bet is that whatever they're doing it will, one way or another, be used against us."

"Indeed." Prime sounded as if he was about to sigh tiredly. "Thank you, Agent Fowler. I will contact Megatron now; he should know that we have reached a dead end."

"Hopefully not for long." Fowler smiled faintly and disconnected.

Optimus stared at the console for a moment not saying anything. He seemed to be deep in thought.

"You want me to call ol'Bucket?" Jazz asked.

"Yes."

oOo

Megatron was about it call it a day even despite that Soundwave seemed to consider it merely a late afternoon instead of an evening. The mech was definitely a 'night owl' as human called it and sometimes had to be ordered to just go to his quarters and recharge. Starscream on the other servo was an 'early bird' and usually went to rest first but also was the first to show in what was considered a morning on Nemesis.

Everyone else were somewhere in the middle of these two extremes, except for Knockout who was, more or less, a princess and had no schedule at all.

It was a gentle ping that made Soundwave to cease whatever he was doing. The silent mech displayed the caller's ID and Megatron sighed – he would have to stay here a moment later.

"Patch him trough." Megatron approached the console. Soundwave only nodded and opened the line.

"Megatron, I have spoken to Agent Fowler." Optimus started. "We have hit an obstacle."

"What kind of obstacle?" Megatron sighed a heavy vent.

Optimus told him shortly about what Fowler reported. Megatron listened and then furrowed his opticbrows.

"We must intensify our surveillance of these facilities." He decided. "We must find out what is happening to the produced items."

"It would be beneficial if it was done stealthily as to not alert MECH of our presence."

"Decepticons are experts in stealth." Megatron smirked. "You should focus on your own mechs' discretion, Prime."

"I am well aware of what your mechs are capable of." Prime narrowed his optics but resisted the urge to snap his mask shut. "Make sure they know their orders." With that the connection ended.

Megatron narrowed his optics and fought a growl. Instead he turned to Soundwave.

"You know what to do." He said.

Soundwave nodded once and detached his tentacles from the console.

"Not at this instance." Megatron stopped his most trusted subordinate.

Soundwave halted and stared at the Decepticon Leader through his visor.

"Yes, I know what Prime said. I'm not interested in the facility; we already know what they're doing. I'm interested in what happens with the insulators later." Megatron explained.

Soundwave nodded.

"And take your time. Prime was right when he said that in this case stealth takes precedence. We must not be discovered or else they'll hightail and all our efforts will be for nothing."

Soundwave nodded again. He understood perfectly.

"Might as well call it a night." Megatron decided. "I know I do." He added and marched out of the bridge, leaving Soundwave to his own devices.

oOo

 _Guatemalan facility. January 6_ _th_ _, barely past the midnight._

The observation spot was empty for the time being. When Soundwave received his orders the previous evening he recalled the current watching team. Now the place was occupied again. Soundwave stood in the middle of the area of flattened foliage where the previous team resided. He looked around but no one seemed to notice his arrival and send a guard to examine. The facility guards were not too keen on entering the shrubs; Soundwave knew that from the reports. That was, of course, a mistake and he was about to use it against the MECH.

The Spymaster looked down, at his feet two of his minions stood. One was small mech in the same greyish, indigo-blue tone as Soundwave; his bio-lights were intense blue, currently dimmed into mere lighter lines on his armour. The other was large feline like creature that seemed to melt into the shadows. There could have been a whisper uttered by the Communication Officer but it might have been a whisper of wind just as well. Both deployers looked up at their superior and nodded.

Soundwave knew that his orders would be followed. He left just as silently as he arrived, the only actual sign of his departure was the Groundbridge, but somehow it went unnoticed by anyone.

Ravage and Rumble observed the facility for a moment from their secured hiding spot.

"Soundwave was right, they are packing the trucks." Rumble whispered surprisingly silently.

"Ssssoundwave isss alrrwaysss right." Ravage hissed just as silently.

"You sure you can do this?" His partner asked. They would not have a second go at this.

"Yesss… "Ravage focused on the trucks. There were two of them – both large enough for him to hide inside. "Make sssurrre you can to."

Without more words they moved. Ravage didn't have to put that much effort into sneaking. He was melting with the shadows and the only good lights were around the facility's gate and the short dirt road leading out. Rumble had to make bigger effort but he too managed to stay hidden.

They stopped near the trucks. They were loaded but the drivers were nowhere around. Probably went inside to wait for the sunrise not wanting to drive at night where it was easy for an accident.

Ravage soundlessly sneaked into the chosen truck, Rumble followed him. It took perhaps five minutes, perhaps a little more before the small mech left the truck closing the back door. Then he crawled underneath and attached something, hiding it deep in the car's underbelly.

He was long gone before the drivers returned to their cars and left the site along with one extraordinary stowaway.

oOo

 _Mexico, the next day, not long before sunrise._

The team of Autobots poked their helms from the shrubs on the bushy hill that served as the observation spot. The facility looked abandoned at first sight but after taking a closer look it was obvious that it simply was the time of night when no one was too eager to be too active. That didn't mean that the buildings were not guarded, the security cameras were all over the place and the two lonesome guards that were left there at night could see everything on their screens.

Naturally that meant problems for the scouting team. Their objective was to search the place and the security guards along with the surveillance equipment stood in their way. Their only way was to go around the guards. And the only way to go around them was to keep them busy somehow.

"You've seen their electric distribution unit?" Wheeljack asked focusing his glare at the lonesome building.

"The small thingy at the side." Bulkhead nodded. "What with it?"

"There are two guards." Wheeljack added with a small smirk.

"Yeah?" Jazz stretched his neck too take a better look at the distribution unit. It was white box with typical markings for danger. It clearly seen better days but aside from being dirty and a bit crooked everything was all right with it. Or at least it looked like it was all right.

"Let's cut their light out." Wheeljack proposed.

"And how is that going to help us?" Bulkhead asked.

"Duh! They'll need to fix it and it's hard to do it without light. One will have to flash some light to the other one." Miko explained and almost made four adult mechs to jump. She wasn't supposed to be there.

"Miko!" Bulkhead hissed in whispering equivalent of yell. "What are you doing here?"

"I came along." The girl explained with her brightest of smiles on.

"Ya shouldn't be here, babe." Jazz looked down at the human.

"I'm a Wrecker, Jazz, where the boys go, I go." She declared. "Except for the boys' room." She added.

"You still shouldn't be here." Bulkhead insisted. "Does anyone know you're here?"

"Well…" Miko smiled again. "You know."

"Miko…" Bulkhead whined in resignation. He knew she was handful but he kind of hoped that the possibly only good part of her dating Bumblebee would be that she'd be busy hanging out with him while they were on missions.

He and 'Jackie were the first to admit that she was a Wrecker, she surely had the talents for that, but she was also a fragile human and he didn't want to see her hurt.

"Oy, focus on the task." She skipped to where she could see the facility from ignoring his worried face. "The sooner we're done, the sooner we're gone." She added knowing his train of thoughts.

"Babe's right." Jazz looked back at Bulkhead.

"Fine. But I still don't see how cutting off their power would help us." Bulkhead complained.

"No power, no cameras." Jazz summed up. "The guards need to fix the electricity so they go to the power box, one is fixin' the second is givin' him some light."

"I see one… two problems with that plan." Bulkhead showed two digits. "If there's no power, their computers will be dead." He counted the first digit. "And how you're going to cut the power off if the electric distributor is in the camera range?" He counted the second one.

"And they can have some back up too." Miko added.

"We just cut the power somewhere else." Wheeljack shrugged. For him it was no problem. "The line comes from somewhere. We cut it there. At the same time we do something here to so the guards will thing it's the problem on their side." He pointed at the electric box. "And when they leave, we go in. I don't think they have any computers here. When this place is rolling the temperatures are way too high for computers. You should know something about it."

"Hmm… what if they have an AC in the office?" Bulkhead pondered.

"Nah, no vents." Jazz shook his helm. "I've scouted the perimeter, no vents on any side."

"This place is obscure, it's a temporary thing." Wheeljack joined the Autobot Black Ops. Specialist. "They will use it and lose it."

"So, what's the plan?" Miko grinned devilishly – always the first to go.

oOo

The power went out and Jazz immediately sneaked in and opened the electric distributor box, switching off everything he could. It took him perhaps few seconds. The calm didn't last for too long but instead of two angry men in hurry he heard two sets of boots walking calmly. He quickly backed behind the building and released Miko from his chest compartment. The guards seemed bored and irritated by having to fix the electricity. It seemed that this happened before but then taking the state of the electric installation it probably wasn't such a big deal. It was obvious that this place was not built recently, but it had to have the wires laid recently and in a hurry. This place was an impromptu facility, Wheeljack was right; they would leave as soon as they were done here.

Miko immediately took off and sneaked into the building. The guards were busy with the box while the girl was snooping around. The loud clicking of the switches could be heard and the guards clearly figured out that this is more than just blown fuse. They were still trying the switches but it was clear that they were doing it only to be sure.

Jazz cursed silently, they would be back in soon and Miko hasn't return yet. Finally the guards gave in and walked back. Jazz was seriously considering taking actions when Miko patted his leg.

As silently as they came, they left. Jazz could be surprisingly silent when he wanted to.

oOo

They were back on the bushy hill in just few minutes. Bulkhead who stayed behind just in case and Wheeljack was already waiting.

"Well?" Bulkhead was the first to break the silence when Jazz set Miko back on the ground.

"Bulk was right, they have a computer." Miko kicked some dirt. "And it was off. I couldn't get in on without blowing our cover."

"Couldn't you just switch the screen off?" Bulkhead asked.

"Nah. A laptop. It was on the guard's desk and it was open, only off. Switching it on would take too much time and if I closed it they'd notice." She explained.

"Scrap." Wheeljack growled.

"Worry not. I didn't found any papers but I've seen their machines." Miko smirked. "And some of the stuff they work with."

"Thank Primus for small miracles." Jazz sighed.

"They have two long machines there. It was hard to tell with my light." She presented her phone's small LED flash. "But it looked like someone took a road roller and turned it inside out. They had bars of copper there and some copper wire but bare, without any plastic on it."

"A rolling mill." Wheeljack spared the facility a look. "No surprise then."

"All right, we've learn what we could." Jazz decided. "Let's go."

oOo

 _The Autobot Base. Moments later._

The Groundbridge opened in whirl of light and the three mechs marched back followed by one teenage girl. It was still night in Alaska but in Nevada it was an early morning, the time difference was two hours.

"Phew! That was one dirty job!" Miko peeped when she finally could see herself in decent light. "I must've accidently touch something greasy." She said and indeed, she had grease smudges on her shorts.

"MIKO!" It was June's voice. Miko's head immediately snapped up.

"Uh, Mrs D!" Miko's eyes grew round. She was staying with Bulk for a sleep over while Bumblebee was spending his time patrolling somewhere in Kuwait1).

"I thought you were preparing yourself for school." June exclaimed with sour face as she rested her hand on her still rather flat belly. "Not off-roading with Bulkhead and these two freewheeling Mavericks."

"Mrs D, I assure you, we weren't off-roading." Wheeljack flashed his own charming grin at the Nurse.

"An' I do not off-road." Jazz added. "Not havin' th' frame type for that."

That earned him a dagger like glare from the woman.

"We were at a secret mission." Wheeljack re-captured her attention.

"Yeah!" Miko cheerfully joined ignoring Bulkhead's groan of someone who knew it wouldn't end well. "We were breaking into MECH's secret facility!"

"WHAT?" June grabbed the rail with both hands and held it so tight that her knuckles turned white.

"Miko…" Bulkhead tried to stop his charge from causing any more damage.

"But don't worry. I'll still make it to school, I just need to change." Miko beamed. For her it all was fine, no one was hurt and no damage was done. Well, perhaps with exception of her clothes.

June glared at them for a moment and then her face relaxed. It seemed that she wasn't angry until it became clear that she was upset but also fainting. She slid gently to the catwalk's floor.

"MRS D!" Miko yelled and hurried up the stairs and to the unconscious woman.

"Aww!" Blaster who operated the Groundbridge looked at the woman whom he just had a conversation. "I'm calling to the A51."

"Awww, Bolts!" Wheeljack jumped to the catwalk and took a better look at June, who was now gently patted by Miko. "Call her doctor and open the 'bridge. I'll drive her there."

"Are you sure it's a good idea?" Bulkhead asked with worried face. Wheeljack was a sports frame after all; he didn't have much space inside.

"Yeah, I'm positive. It's better to be there than here. At least Ratchet won't weld my aft to the nearest wall." The mech explained and transformed.

"An' why would he do that?" Jazz asked taking June and Miko and gently lowering them to Wheeljack.

"He tends to do that a lot, lately." Wheeljack explained opening his doors. "I guess it's just such a phase."

Jazz didn't answer to that; instead he helped Miko to put June in the passenger seat. At the same time Bulkhead was calling Jack to tell him about his mother and Blaster was dialling the doctor while opening the Groundbridge at the same time.

oOo

 _Area 51's infirmary._

June slowly surfaced to the realm of living and found herself somewhere else than she recalled being. She knew she was in Autobot Base and this place looked nothing like it. She sighed; the bed and curtains could only mean one thing…

As if to confirm June's thoughts one of the curtains moved and her Doctor's head appeared. For a moment all kinds of thoughts flooded June's mind. She must've paled because the Doctor's eyes widened and she entered the tiny area fully.

"Before you will go into full panic attack, nothing happened." She said and sat at a small, round, metal stool that stood next to June's bed. "You're fine and still pregnant."

June felt as her colour flooded back to her face – she never realised that it was something someone could feel really.

"You have fainted, which in itself is nothing uncommon in pregnant women." The Doctor started to speak again. "But it should never be ignored, especially in your case."

"Do you know why I have fainted?" June asked, her voice sound normal but there was some worry in it.

"I was told you got angry, which in combination with your elevated BP could end up with passing out." The Doctor explained. "But every cloud has a silver lining. We've got a blood sample from you and I was just coming to see if you were awake already so I could discuss it with you."

"This fast?"

"You've been out for almost half an hour, clearly your body decided to rest for a moment." The Doctor informed. "And I've harassed our lab guy. It's basic tests actually."

"How bad is it?" June braced for the terrible news.

"There's no tragedy. But your levels are deteriorating." The Doctor revealed. "All in all it is not regular pregnancy and despite your best efforts it must drain you. Your mineral levels are low but it may be the doing of the 'Newspark'."

"Yes. In a Cybertronian it wouldn't be a problem but I am not." June agreed. "But Ratchet told me that it could be managed if the Newspark would be provided with building materials from my partner's tranfluid."

"Yes. I have spoken with doctor Ratchet about that as well. My best guess that the transmetal fluid does the trick but you still lose enough minerals because the baby is still looking for metals and siphons them from you." The Doctor leafed through the lab report she received. "And the results seem to confirm that. I must say that what doctor Ratchet said about Cybertronian gestation is fascinating and helpful."

"What should I do then?"

"You already changed your diet so the only solution right now, if we do not want to keep you under IV, is dietary supplements. Normally they're not the best thing because people take them needlessly and often overdose, but in your case they should do the trick. I will prescribe you the kinds that you need and then stick to our scheduled appointment."

"I see." June sighed tiredly.

"But you really should take good care of yourself. You are not taking this pregnancy well and straining yourself is not making it any better for you." The Doctor warned. "If you'll continue as you do now it can end up badly. Running around in a 'mother hen' mode is good for younger women without problematic and exotic pregnancies."

"They told you, didn't they?" June huffed.

"Yes. Your son is an adult and your charge is not that far behind him. Even if she does stupid things, she has some heavy duty back-up team that most people her age can't even dream of. Her exploits are not your concern now."

"Then what I'm about to do now?" June asked.

"Sit on your couch and pick names."

TBC.

1) Kuwait has a lot of expensive cars of all sorts. A sports car isn't that uncommon sight there so Bumblebee was more than well hidden.


	8. Far Cry

**Sugar.**

" _There's sugar on your soul_

 _You're like no one I know_

 _You're the life of another world_

 _You swallow me whole_

 _With just a mumbled hello_

 _And it breaks my heart to love you,_

 _It breaks my heart to love you_ _"_ – Editors _"Sugar"._

 **Warnings** : Violence, explicit language, controversial subjects.

Timing: Post season 2 finale, in my very own Beauty of the Beast Prime timeline.

Rating: M (possibly even MA).

Pairings: multiple.

Disclaimer: Transformers Prime © Hasbro. Story's plot and OC's © me. There may be some OC's that aren't mine – they belong to their respective creators.

 **Far Cry.**

" _(…) it's a far cry from the world we thought we'd inherit_

 _It's a far cry from the way we thought we'd share it_

 _You can almost feel the current flowing_

 _You can almost see the circuits blowing_

 _One day I feel I'm on top of the world_

 _And the next it's falling in on me_

 _I can get back on_

 _I can get back on_

 _One day I feel I'm ahead of the wheel,_

 _And the next it's rolling over me_

 _I can get back on_

 _I can get back on (…)"_ _–_ Rush _"Far Cry"_

oOo

 _February 11_ _th_ _. Nemesis._

Soundwave's head shot up from his hunched position in front of his favourite computer console. He stood stiffly for a moment then calmly saved his work-in-progress and made is way up to the bridge's catwalk where Megatron busied himself with whatever important matter he was attending.

It was only when he gently interrupted the Decepticon Lord anyone noticed that he was on the bridge. Quite a few Vehicons almost got a Spark attack.

"Yes?" Megatron looked at his most trusted soldier with slight wince. He too had forgotten that the silent mech was there. That was the thing with Soundwave – his designation suggested much louder person while in reality you got someone who basically didn't produce any sound waves. And he did that on purpose.

Soundwave displayed picture of Ravage on his visor.

"Of course." Megatron nodded. "Finally."

Soundwave nodded and immediately opened a Groundbridge. The bright light illuminated the normally semi-dark bridge for few moments. Among the colourful whirl of light Ravage looked like small dark speck, his pace was slow and dignified, perhaps predatory or most probably both.

The feline Cybertronian finally jumped gracefully from the 'Bridge and Soundwave closed it. Now, that the additional light was gone, Ravage seemed to be simply a darker shadow creeping on the floor.

"What have you found?" Megatron asked without any ado. He knew Ravage long enough – in fact as long as he knew Soundwave – to know that the 'cat' was more of the 'straight to the point' type of personality, and he not only respected that trait in him, he appreciated it.

"I wasss able to ssstay hidden the whole time." Ravage purred in a low voice. "Unforrrtunaterrrly I wasssn't able to discoverrr the finarlll destination of the load."

"What happened?" Megatron raised one opticbrow. Ravage was as stealthy as they got, he was even stealthier than Soundwave.

"I sssstayed with them the whole way to Ssssan Jossse." Ravage explained. "Therrre they waithed forrr the trrruck to be unlrrroaded. The load wasss then mrroved to an sssship. I managed to fffind ourt that it sssailed to Messico."

"Why didn't you stick to the load?"

"They packed it to diffrrrent trrrrucks, I didn't wrrant rrrisking detection."

"And it took you that long?" Megatron asked in disbelief. "Surely the distance is not that long."

"They took theirrrr sssweeet time in the docsss." Ravage growled in irritation. "They werrrre in no hurry therrrre. And then they werrrre in even less hurrrry to pack the merrrrchandisssse to the otherrr trrrucksss."

"I see." Megatron nodded. That explained a lot. He had to admit that in that regard both human and Cybertronian longshoremen were the same: they were never in any hurry. "Still the observation must be continued."

Soundwave nodded and displayed something on his visor. It looked like some sort of schedule.

"Yes. When the next shipment will be ready." Megatron agreed. "Until then you're free."

"Yessss, Lorrrd Megatrrron." Ravage purred in pleased voice.

"Soundwave, go with him, make sure that Knockout gives him a post mission check and that he gets to refuel in peace." Megatron ordered.

Soundwave nodded once and led Ravage off the bridge.

oOo

 _Area 51. Special Agent William Fowler's office. March 7_ _th_ _._

Special Agent William Fowler sat behind his desk dying slowly of boredom. It was very slow day. There was no action that he could take part in. No reports to read and not even one to fill. And there was absolutely no progress with MECH.

He'd been in his office the whole day. The usual routine took him perhaps two hours, perhaps a bit less. He had an internet blockade at his computer – just like the rest of A51 – to prevent him from spending his time on some social network trading silly pictures. He understood this policy; he even supported it… well, almost.

On days like this he was this close to call to the Autobots to send him Raf to take that damn block off. Hell! One day he'd probably do just that. But until then he resigned himself to playing with his paper clips.

He already counted them, threw away damages ones and the ones he didn't like. He sorted them based on the size and type and if they were colourful or plain. The colourful were fun, so he hid them with intention to use them only for his own files that would be just for his use. The plain ones were to be used in every other file. And now he was creating a long, paper clip chain made of the plain ones. As dull as it was at the very least it gave him something to do. When he would be finished, he decided a small nap would be in order… and later some lunch… or perhaps lunch first and them a small siesta? He wasn't sure which would be best… probably lunch and then siesta…

His musings were interrupted by his phone. When it rang he almost jumped in his seat but instead of being irritated he was actually happy for something, anything to happen. When the third signal rang he joyfully answered it switching it to the speaker.

"Special Agent William Fowler." He spoke in his most unpleasant tone, just in case it was someone he knew.

"Agent Fowler, as always answering without delay." Megatron's voice mocked from the other side of the line and Fowler chewed on few words of choice he would love to utter.

Of all the people on the entire planet it had to be HIM. "Megatron, what do I owe the horror?" Fowler asked, this time without faking hostility. The Decepticon could've been involved with June Darby and his faction and Autobot could have a cease fire, but that did not make Megatron any less friendly.

"Have you had any progress with your mission?" The Warmonger asked. He didn't have to specify what sort of mission it was. They both knew that it could have been only one mission.

"Nothing changed so far." Fowler answered. Saying that nothing changed sounded much better than 'no progress'.

"As anticipated. What would you say if I told you that my spies managed to outdo yours and actually produced results?" The Decepticon Tyrant sounded pleased and Fowler was ready to bet that he was probably smirking.

"What results?"

"They have uncovered what happens with the insulators produced in Guatemala." Megatron stated.

"I am all ears." Fowler focused on the phone. This was important.

"They are being taken to a dock in San Jose where they are being re-loaded into smaller trucks and shipped by boat to Mexico where they travel to another base, where they are being re-packed to US trucks and cross the border." Megatron explained the process.

"There's just one problem." Fowler deflated upon hearing the Decepticon. "We are intercepting plenty of smuggler's trucks with all sort of illegal stuff and so far we haven't found anything that resembles contraband of ceramic insulators."

"Aaah, but have you searched for legal transports?" Megatron asked in a smooth tone.

Fowler glared at the phone with eyes wide as saucers.

oOo

 _Autobot Base._

June sat on the couch and observed Optimus talking with Fowler. She came to see Ratchet and was waiting for the Autobot Medic to bring the booklet about Cybertronian childhood diseases that he promised to translate for her. He claimed it to be very helpful and she couldn't disagree especially that it certainly wouldn't hurt to have something like that.

In the meantime she was listening on to the Prime and Fowler talking about what the Decepticons discovered. Not that Megatron would ever miss an opportunity to share that with her and brag a bit about how much superior his intelligence agents are over their Autobot counterparts.

"Thank you, Agent Fowler, Autobots will be ready when the time will arise." The Prime ended the conversation and the connection was terminated.

"Any idea what they're up to? MECH?" June asked feeling sick just thinking about MECH and what they were able to.

Optimus turned and looked at June as if he forgot that she was there.

"I'm afraid I do not." He admitted. "But this time we are expecting their action and we will be well prepared for them should they make any move."

June smiled. It didn't comfort her much though. She knew Optimus Prime and trusted when he claimed that they were prepared to take action, especially now that their number grew since the last time they faced MECH, but she also knew that MECH excelled in surprise. She did experience it personally after all.

"June, are you all right?" Optimus stepped closer. "You don't look well."

June wanted to say that she felt fine, but she didn't. What she felt was strangely soft and light, and then she felt herself slipping into darkness.

"June." Optimus noticed the nurse slipping on the couch as she lost her consciousness. "Rewind, call her doctor." Optimus turned to the console where Rewind was replacing Blaster.

"On it." Rewind immediately dialled up the doctor. "And I'm pinging Ratchet too."

oOo

 _Later. June's house._

Megatron emerged from the Groundbridge in the middle of her living room with triumphant smirk on his lip plates. The shrinking process didn't diminish the air of might around him so the view was somewhat aweing. He looked around but he didn't saw his inamorata.

"June?" He called with the smirk still plastered to his face. She could have been someplace else and not noticed his arrival.

The door to Jack's room opened and the young man's head popped out. He didn't look too happy. He saw Megatron and walked out.

"Mum's in a hospital." He said walking into the living room. "She fainted again."

Megatron stared at Jack for a moment as his triumphant smirk evaporated while he processed the information and what it could mean.

"Where?" He asked.

"The Area 51 medical centre, but you shouldn't go there, at least not unannounced." Jack crossed his arms.

He grew accustomed to Megatron's presence and he learned to accept the mech and get along with him just for June's sake. But right now he wasn't all that friendly. He realised that Megatron didn't caused his mother's problems, at least that wasn't what he planned to do, still he couldn't help himself but to blame the Decepticon to some degree. After all if it wasn't for Megatron June wouldn't be pregnant right now. And with all that in mind he also realised that the mech was just as lost and confused as him: Warmongering Tyrant or not, the guy was just as helpless as Jack.

"If you want to know more then you should probably contact Ratchet." Jack sighed heavily. This was so frustrating. "He should know what exactly happened. All I know is that they will call me to pick mum when they'll be done with her."

"I see."

Megatron nodded and was about the call for a 'Bridge when Jack spoke again.

"What will happen after you finish the MECH off?" The young man asked. "It would end the reason for the cease fire, what would then happen? What of mum?"

Megatron stared at Jack with grave face plates. He was asking himself the very same questions when he decided to get involved with June. He never found any satisfying answer.

"Even if we will put an end to MECH the cease fire will remain in power. There is still Airachnid to be dealt with and she is just as much threat to everyone as MECH, if not more." He Tyrant finally replied. "As long as she is at large we cannot be sure of our safety, she may return at any time and attack when we won't be expecting. She must be captured by the DJD, taken into custody and brought here for trial before the Conclave, a public one, as the Tyrest Accord and Decepticon Law dictates."

"And if you won't catch her?"

"Then eventually she will come back here to reach you, Arcee, me and June. And everything we hold dear." Megatron deadpanned and called for Groundbridge allowing Jack to digest what he just said.

oOo

 _Nemesis. Megatron's personal quarters._

Megatron entered his personal quarter on Nemesis and marched straight to his desk where small computer console rested on the desktop. He pushed away his chair and turned the console on. Moments ago he asked Soundwave to contact Autobot Medic and re-direct the call to his quarters. The Communication Officer followed the order immediately and Megatron was confident that Soundwave wouldn't allow anyone to tap on the line and eavesdrop. Except for Soundwave himself that is. Megatron could be angry for that if not for the fact that Soundwave's nosiness saved his hide more times that Megatron was willing to admit. That, and the fact that the Silent Mech was sincerely concerned about what he considered to be Megatron's consort and sparkling; which in turn wasn't surprising for someone who knew Soundwave's own story.

"What is it Megatron?" Ratchet's annoyed voice snapped Megatron from his musings.

"Jack told me that June was unwell. I demand to know what has happened." He said glaring down at the console.

"Normally I would tell you to get lost, but you're the sire." Ratchet growled in annoyance. "As you know the growth pattern of Newspark depends on the frame type it develops into. Length of gestation is roughly the same but every frame has their own development patterns. With humans it is different. Usually human pregnancy lasts for roughly nine months and the growth is steady and even, all humans follow the same growth pattern safe for certain anomalies that usually end badly." Ratchet explained. "Do you follow me so far?"

"Yes." Megatron nodded resting heavily on the desk top.

"Femme or carrier mech's frame has the ability to manage various growth patterns, safe for the most extreme cases when it does need some assistance, but usually there is no such need. Human woman's body cannot manage such varied patterns because it is meant to deal with just one pattern of growth." Ratchet explained.

"What does that mean?"

"Since now the growth of your offspring was slow and steady. In fact slower than human growth. But now it seems to have sped up, it was accumulating the minerals that it is now starting to use to grow."

"Again: what does that mean?" Megatron repeated his question.

"Two things actually. One: it is not the best news for June; she will require a lot of care." Ratchet showed two digits. "And two: we can guess what frame type your Sparkling will have."

"Two things: just how bad it is for June and what care she requires; and what frame type?" Megatron mocked Ratchet 'countdown'.

"It will end with premature labour and June was strained heavily even before, now it means she's to avoid any physical strain beyond taking few steps every now and then. And your Sparkling will most probably inherit your military frame though probably much lighter."

"Thank you Doctor." Megatron ended the connection. He had a lot to think about.

TBC.


	9. Precious

**Sugar.**

" _There's sugar on your soul_

 _You're like no one I know_

 _You're the life of another world_

 _You swallow me whole_

 _With just a mumbled hello_

 _And it breaks my heart to love you,_

 _It breaks my heart to love you_ _"_ – Editors _"Sugar"._

 **Warnings** : Violence, explicit language, controversial subjects.

Timing: Post season 2 finale, in my very own Beauty of the Beast Prime timeline.

Rating: M (possibly even MA).

Pairings: multiple.

Disclaimer: Transformers Prime © Hasbro. Story's plot and OC's © me. There may be some OC's that aren't mine – they belong to their respective creators.

 **Precious.**

" _Precious and fragile things_

 _Need special handling_

 _My God what have we done to you_

 _We always tried to share_

 _The tenderest of care_

 _Now look what we have put you through (…)"_ _–_ Depeche Mode _"Precious"_

oOo

 _March 8_ _th_ _. June's house._

June entered her home with much relief. It was good to be back despite the fact that the hospital stay was for her and her baby's sake. Jack was helping her even though she didn't think she required help with crossing the doorstep. Her son behaved very protective even since she ended up in the hospital. He even asked Smokescreen to act as his 'designated vehicle' to drive her home (which wasn't that uncommon as Smokescreen often replaced Arcee as Jack's partner when the femme was not available).

When she walked into her living room, with Jack circling around her not unlike some satellite would its planet, Megatron was already there awaiting her arrival. He instantly stood up when he saw her, his face was grim and determined. She asked him not to visit her in the hospital so he would not scare the staff or patients. They might have been all military medics and military patients, both with all the required clearances but seeing Megatron could still make them less than comfortable.

"Calm down, I'm fine and the little one is too." She smiled and sat on the couch.

"Yesterday I spoke to Ratchet." Megatron said in serious tone.

"And I have no doubt that he was very sombre." June rolled her eyes. "My doctor already had a word with me about my state. She said that this pregnancy is very tasking for me and I am to stay under bed regime."

"Correction, mum." Jack cut in. "The doctor didn't say that it is tasking, she said that it is draining and is dangerous for your health."

"Jack, could you ask Smokescreen to take you back to the Base? I have left my sweater there." June asked with a sigh. "If I'm to stay home in bed I will not be getting it myself any time soon."

"Fine. I'll get it." Jack rolled his eyes and went for the door. He knew that his mum wanted to have a talk with Megatron in private, without him cutting in. He just wished she told him that instead of sending him to get her sweater that would be perfectly fine in the Autobot Base. Well, okay, almost safe, he was almost certain that nothing would happen to it.

June watched Jack vanishing behind the door that led to the garage and then Smokescreen's engine roared louder only to go completely silent when the Groundbridge closed behind him and Jack. She turned back to Megatron but he spoke before she could say anything.

"June, this is going too far." He stepped close and kneeled in front of her. "If this gestation, this pregnancy is dangerous for you, then you should not keep it. You need to terminate it."

"I don't want to." She said shocked by his words. She did not expect him to say something like that. "I want to have this baby."

"This is dangerous for your health, and if it is dangerous for your health then it is dangerous for your life. I do not want to lose you just to have an heir." Megatron rested his servos on her hands that rested in her lap. Her delicate hands disappeared under his massive claws. "I never expected to become a sire and I was prepared for the fact that I would never have any offspring. I do not want to have a sparkling at the price of you." His claws gently closed around her hands.

"You don't understand, Megatron, I really want this baby." She replied pulling her hands from his and trying to take his into hers in turn but she only managed to cradle his thumbs. "This may be the last chance for me to have a second child. I know that I have Jack, but I want to have a baby with you."

Megatron hung his helm for a moment, staring at her hands covering his two thumbs. Compared to his, her hands were small and delicate. They seemed to be made to save lives while his were obviously destined to crush, rip and obliterate – they were two opposites. It was such a difficult situation for him especially that he was not accustomed to be helpless, to be forced to just stand aside and watch uselessly. It was always him who was in charge. This time however he didn't have the last word, this time it wasn't his call.

"I do not like it but it is not my body and so it is not my decision to make." He finally spoke, still glaring at their hands. "I would never dare to impose my will upon you so it will be as you wish."

June smiled; this was the best proof that she chose the right man… well, the right mech. She wanted to take a deep breath but Megatron's helm was still low, he was still in a grim mood, probably pondering about all the horrible things that could happen. She sighed.

"Everything will be fine, you will see." She spoke calmly letting go of his servos and reaching for his helmet. "I will follow the doctor's instruction." She removed Megatron's helmet revealing his crest. "I will be under the bed regime, resting, taking my pills and getting bored out of my head."

Megatron lifted his helm and looked at her seriously.

"And stay calm." He added. "I will speak with Jack and Miko so they will know that you have promised that."

June groaned and rolled her eyes. She wouldn't get any rest from resting now; she would be resting into exhaustion.

oOo

 _Flashback – February 28_ _th_ _. Somewhere in New Mexico._

It didn't look like a terrorist group's meeting, but the participants looked like people who didn't want any authorities to attend to their little gathering, exactly because it was the very thing it didn't look like. That was why they were having a get together in the middle of complete nowhere: they were alone, there were no random people to accidentally overhear them and if anyone would try to approach them they would know before the unwanted guest would get into the earshot.

Silia looked through some documents on her tablet; electronic documentation was what she preferred over the traditional paper one. Not because she was crazy about ecology though, rather because it was easier to manage and destroy. It wasn't always the most convenient solution but in the field having everything on one, light and easy to carry tablet was far better than handling numerous pages in a handful of folders.

"These look promising." She scrolled through the last page filled with charts and graphs. "What's the status?"

"We have all elements." Moriarty reported. "Devices are ready to be assembled."

"Do it then." Silia decided. "We will perform the first field test as soon as possible."

The meeting ended soon after and the only trace of the meeting was some foot prints and tyre tracks that soon vanished. Almost as if it never occurred.

oOo

 _March 16_ _th_ _. General Brice's house. Early morning._

A sharp ring of a phone cut through silence of General Brice's house. Its sound rang through calm Sunday morning like a drill, each time the sound seemed louder and more urgent. General jumped out of the bathroom whipping the remains of shaving foam off of his face with a towel. He grabbed the phone angrily and pressed it against his ear.

"Brice! This better be important!" He barked.

[[Sir, something has hit a chapter of hell's angels.]] Man's voice sounded nervous. [[We have several wounded bikers and half of the chapter is coal.]]

"And why do you bother me with that?" General growled. He couldn't care less about some biker gang and whatever accident they've been involved in.

[[By the way it looks like we suspect that MECH's involved.]]

"I'm on my way." Brice said and disconnected.

"Honey?" Mrs Brice's voice floated gently from the kitchen. "Does that mean you won't be eating breakfast?"

General sighed heavily. It did mean that he wouldn't eat any breakfast.

oOo

 _The site of the incident. Half an hour later._

The site looked like a flamethrower testing area. Broken motorbikes lay in disarray, some of them had melted tyres, some of them looked untouched, some of them covered in sooth or something that looked like sooth but could've been something else entirely. There were few pools of blood in places where wounded had to lay before they were taken away by ambulances. The dead bodies were left where they landed when the chapter was hit by whatever caused the incident.

General Brice walked to the group of men in BDUs passing by couple of dead bikers; their bodies were either partially charred or completely charred. One guy looked as if he was human shaped piece of coal.

"How the situation here looks?" He asked the three men, two captains and a major as he noticed.

"Sir, the chapter of Hell's Angels rode to the nearest town heading north-west when they were hit. We have four survivors and seven dead. The rest, sir, you can see." The Major gestured to the site. "The wounded were taken to the nearest hospital, four of them were out but one was conscious enough to call for the ambulance. Paramedics called the sheriff; the local authorities are cooperating with us, this is how we've got here. The guy told the sheriff that they were taken by surprise but he couldn't tell what happened exactly because he only saw flash and then he collided with another bike and before he could tell he was flying."

"Do we know what hit them?" Brice asked.

"Sir, our egg heads measured everything, took samples and locked themselves in their van." The Major pointed at a military van parked near. "I can call them."

"Call them." General ordered and looked at the mess around him while the Major called the scientists through his head set.

After few seconds the van's door slid open and a man jumped out. He was wearing a sterile suit of a lab technician, the man throttled to the General and the officers. The man was thin and looked as if he could've been snapped like a twig over someone's knee. When he saluted it looked like he had couple of additional elbows.

"Sir, this is lieutenant Carsters." The Major gestured to the technician.

"Lieutenant, what could you tell me about all this?"

"Sir, what do you want me to start with, sir?" Lieutenant Carsters asked with troubled face.

"What killed them?"

"Sir, we do not know. Whatever it was it barely grazed them but was extremely hot. As you can see, sir, it did not hit the road directly. All evidence show that it hit just next to the road, slightly ahead of them but it had some considerable diameter." He gestured to the impact site and indeed, the hit mark was clearly next to the road. Some of the asphalt was scorched but it was mostly the dirt near it. Some of the sand turned into glass. "We do not believe that it was some stray lightning because aside from the fact that we have a cloudless sky today, lightning marks are much smaller, there are simply no lightning this large on Earth1). Sir."

"Then what it was?" The General was starting to be tired with all this. It looked like all they knew what was wasn't the cause.

"Sir, we believe it was something electric, a form of an electric arch or something similar." The Lieutenant almost shrugged. "Voltage high enough to cause that." He looked pointedly at the morbid setting. "The bolt of plasma had to be powerful to ground like this, sir."

"And you think it was MECH?" Brice gave the Lieutenant a serious look.

"Sir, I can't imagine who else could it be? On US territory it could be either us or them, who else? Sir."

"Good point. I guess we can rule out Russians or Iranians. That leaves us with one thing to do." Brice turned to the Major. "Get me Agent Fowler; we need his contacts in Autobot base. I want him on the spot in less than an hour."

"Yes General." The Major nodded to one of the Captains who instantly marched away to make a call.

"And deal with the corpses before they'll attract vultures." The General added.

"Yes sir. The coroner vans are on the way already." The Major saluted.

TBC.

To Kaleia: regarding your last review – thanks but I'm from Poland and we do not celebrate Thanksgiving. Also, stay cool, it's only a fic.

I know that some people will find the conversation between June and Megatron to be controversial and will have strong feelings about it, but this is how I decided it to be and I do not want to hear/see any whining about it. I want to show that Megatron respects June's choices and the fact that her body is her own and she has the full right to decide about what happens with it (take the risks). And this respect doesn't make him any more masculine (or, I don't know, mech-uline?) and though as nails. June makes the tough decision here, fully aware of all the risks, and it must be respected regardless of what the decision is.

1) Yes, we actually do have idea of how thick the lightning bolt can be, judging by its remains. And yes, lightning do leave remains. Not every time though and you'd have to be quite lucky to find it. Sometimes a lightning will hit a sand field. Lightning is very hot – it is plasma after all – and sand is made of quartz. When you heat the sand you get glass (yes, the very same as you have in your windows or the glass you drink your tea from), When a very hot plasma bolt hits sand, the sand melts, and you then can find it – it is called fulgurite. But be careful, fulgurites are very delicate and easy to damage or destroy.


	10. Can't Dance

**Sugar.**

" _There's sugar on your soul_

 _You're like no one I know_

 _You're the life of another world_

 _You swallow me whole_

 _With just a mumbled hello_

 _And it breaks my heart to love you,_

 _It breaks my heart to love you_ _"_ – Editors _"Sugar"._

 **Warnings** : Violence, explicit language, controversial subjects.

Timing: Post season 2 finale, in my very own Beauty of the Beast Prime timeline.

Rating: M (possibly even MA).

Pairings: multiple.

Disclaimer: Transformers Prime © Hasbro. Story's plot and OC's © me. There may be some OC's that aren't mine – they belong to their respective creators.

 **Can't Dance.**

" _Hot sun beating down_

 _Burning my feet just walking around_

 _Hot sun making me sweat_

 _Gators getting close, hasn't got me yet_

 _I can't dance, I can't talk._

 _Only thing about me is the way I walk_

 _I can't dance, I can't sing_

 _I'm just standing here selling_

 _Everything. (…)"_ _–_ Genesis _"I can't Dance"_

oOo

 _March 16_ _th_ _, morning. Autobot Base Omega-3._

Optimus hurried to the Rec Room, Jazz who was having monitor duty informed him that he was badly wanted by Agent Fowler. The Prime, as dutiful as always, rushed to talk with the human immediately after receiving the call. Fate had it that the Prime was in the wash racks, getting rid of the dust from patrolling Australian desserts last night, so now he was leaving small pools of water with citrus scented car shampoo. There was still some foam on his plates.

He was at the console in less than minute, so all the incriminating evidence of his hygiene rituals were still fresh and visible.

"Have I interrupted you?" Fowler asked without even the faintest suggestion of smirk. He was pulled from under the shower himself by order of General Brice. He still had wet hair.

"Yes you did." Optimus answered honestly. "I was informed you wanted to speak to me urgently, Agent Fowler."

"We have a situation." Fowler decided to just spill it without any further delay. If men (or mechs) are being pulled from under the shower, the situation calls for being blunt and to the point.

"What kind of situation?"

"A chapter of Hell's Angels fell victim of some strange phenomenon, we have wounded and dead bikers. And large scorch mark on a side of a road." Fowler elaborated. "We suspect MECH's involvement; they deal with experimental weapons and rare technologies. It reeks of them for miles."

"It is possible." Optimus nodded. It sounded plausible even though it could have been natural phenomenon, Primus or perhaps Unicron, alone knew that the planet tended to be volatile at times.

"Yes, but we'd like to have you guys to take a look and tell us of what you think." Fowler continued. "In case you know what that could be. Maybe there has been a weapon like that on Cybertron so you could tell us what to look for?"

"Hmm. Perhaps. I will bring Ratchet." The Prime decided. For a moment Wheeljack came to his mind as well. The Wrecker was an engineer after all, but he was better at constructing and demolishing. In this case the best choice would be the Autobot Medic, a mech who had the most experience with examining the results of weaponry use.

"Ratchet's fine by me. Just hurry, we had to close the road for vehicle use, soon we will need to open it again."

"I understand. We will be there as soon as possible." Optimus promised and disconnected. He needed to find Ratchet now.

oOo

There was a knock on the door of Ratchet's quarters followed by Optimus Prime's call that it was urgent. Ratchet mumbled few choice words and jumped off his berth leaving another body lying there motionlessly. He picked up a thermal blanket and threw it on the berth and its other occupant before walking to the door and opening it. He left the lights low on purpose; he didn't want the Prime to see all the details of disarray that his room was in at this moment.

"Yes Optimus?" The Autobot Medic asked in his most stoic voice.

"I require you to accompany me. There has been an incident and Agent Fowler suspects it has something to do with MECH." Prime explained with his focus solemnly on his old friend. "I require your expertise."

"Can't it wait?" Ratchet asked with hint of grumpiness. He wasn't in the mood for fieldtrips.

"I'm afraid it can't. There have been casualties and it happened on a public road. Agent Fowler's people cannot keep it closed for long." Optimus explained.

"Fine then." Ratchet sighed. It was always like that, whenever something happened he was called for.

"Ratchet!" Called the voice from inside of the room. "Could you take these stasis cuffs off first?"

It was only then that the Prime looked past Ratchet and saw Wheeljack lying on the berth; his servos cuffed above his head, a thermal blanked covering his most private area.

"I won't be away for that long." Ratchet decided and closed the door. "Don't say it Optimus." He turned to the Prime.

"I wasn't planning on saying anything." The Prime replied.

"Yes you were." Ratchet shook his helm. "He will be fine." He stated. "It is a professional opinion." He added.

Prime didn't reply to that. What these two did in their free time in their own rooms wasn't his business and frankly sometimes he preferred not to know.

oOo

 _The site of the incident, couple of minutes later._

Ratchet stood in the middle of the road glaring at the charred asphalt and dirt as if they have offended him in some way. The scattered motorbikes were still there but the dead bodies were gone already. The Autobot Medic looked at the sky and then again at the charred ground, then he looked around but failed to find any kind of inspiration there.

"I have no idea what happened here." He finally exclaimed.

"What do you mean by that?" Fowler asked. General Brice stood right beside him and probably expected some results.

"That I have no idea what it was." Ratchet repeated himself. "Nothing I have encountered on this planet leaves marks so large."

"On this planet?" General Brice pulled stunned face.

"I believe a second opinion would be in order." Ratchet decided.

"Who do you have in mind?" Optimus asked in his usual grave tone. It strangely fit the scenery.

oOo

 _Nemesis._

Raoul navigated the dark corridors leading to officers' quarters with ease. Now that he was Lieutenant he also had quarters in there and he knew the route by Spark even though in his first quartex1) he felt awkward and out of place in here. It was only understandable since he now met all the other officers when they were leaving their quarters, or returning to them. To his utter shock he was even acknowledged (scary thing for a freshly promoted Vehicon). Now days he wasn't impressed anymore and was even able to tell which doors belonged to whom (something he had problem at first).

He stopped in front of doors that looked like all other doors in the corridor and pressed a button on the control panel next to them. There was a pleasant chiming sound, no doubt customised because the default sound of the doorbell was buzzing and irritating (on purpose, Raoul had no doubts about it). He was rewarded with sound of shuffling and then a few curse words spoken in strong feminine voice. Couple of seconds later the door slid open and Raoul immediately snapped to attention.

"Sir, my apologies for disrupting your morning… activities… but it is an emergency." Raoul explained hurriedly, he was speaking to a senior officer after all. One that had little to no patience for nonsense. "Your expertise is being needed, sir. Lord Megatron is expecting you on the bridge where he will inform you of the situation."

oOo

 _The site of the incident. Moments later._

It was getting late already and General Brice was getting impatient. They would have to open the road soon but Decepticon 'expert' seemed to be taking his time, half-crouching near the charred ground and asphalt, contemplating them in silence. Ratchet and Prime just stood there observing the entire situation and Fowler seemed to be happy keeping them company.

Brice looked at his watch and sighed wondering just how long someone can glare at some scorch marks. He re-focused at their 'expert' who reached and gently touched the black round with the tips of his digits.

The scorch marks was indeed large. Some of it marked the road but most of it was next to the asphalt. Parts of the dirt glazed from the heat that had to accompany the evident discharge but the layer of the glaze wasn't as thick as it would seem, still it was thicker than he assumed just from looking at it. All in all as unparalleled as this phenomenon was, and as impressive effect as it gave – the damaged and destroyed motorbikes only added to the overall impression – it wasn't difficult to deduce the source of such remnants.

Shockwave stood up and turned to the humans and Autobots. "I confirm your assumption that this was caused by a load of hot plasma." He said in his typical dry and polite tone but his entire stance radiated that he is not amused… or as close to not being amused as he could be anyway.

"Could it be some sort of ball lightning?" Brice asked in hope that it would be something natural and wouldn't involve them having to find out how MECH did it.

"No. Such phenomenon usually happens directly before or after a storm and often in mountain areas, none of these circumstances were present at the time of this incident." Shockwave rejected General's idea. "I am also not familiar with case of one being large enough to completely incinerate a body – an occurrence that happened in this case as I was informed. I rule out possibility of this being caused by natural phenomenon of ball lightning."

"Bummer!" Fowler growled.

"I recognise however that the phenomenon that resulted in this incident might have been generated artificially." The Decepticon scientist admitted. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have been interrupted and wish to return to my previous activities."

With that Shockwave marched away few paces before he called for the Groundbridge. After a moment he was gone.

oOo

 _Back at the Autobot Base, later._

Ratchet sat at the console, scrolling through something absentmindedly. This incident kept him puzzled ever since he returned. He released Wheeljack not being in the mood for keeping the Wrecker tied down any more… maybe at some other time, but now he had something else on his mind.

Shockwave stated that it was probably artificial and it would fit perfectly with MECH's weaponry policy. Ever since Silia took them over they were going weirder and weirder, not that they were that active, but when they did they never failed to shock.

"Ratchet?" The Autobot Medic almost jumped out of his armour when he heard a voice calling his name. He looked down and saw Raf standing there with worried face.

"Rafael." Ratchet reached down with his servo to allow the teenage boy to climb on it. "You have surprised me."

"What happened, you look worried." Raf allowed Ratchet to carry him to the console. "Is everything all right?" He added stepping down from his friend's servo.

"Yes, yes. Of course it is."

"You promised you would teach me some advanced Cybertronian programming today, but you look like you're busy with something else."

"I remember, I was just thinking about something involving MECH." Ratchet told his little human student.

"You want to tell me or is it a secret?" Raf asked in case he could be of some use. MECH were humans and as smart as Ratchet was, he lacked human approach.

"I don't know." Ratchet gave Raf a curious look. It was true that Raf was young and human, but he was surprisingly smart and mature for someone his age. And he knew more than one would expect. "We suspect they managed to create artificial lightning."

"Really?" Raf's eyes turned round.

"Yes. We do not know if it was MECH but someone managed to, we assume accidentally, hit some bikers with it and Shockwave is positive that it was not natural." Ratchet explained. Technically it was top-secret knowledge but this was Raf. "It had to be potent but we're not sure what exactly it was and how it was done."

"Wow! That sounds a bit like Nicola Tesla's Death Beam." Raf exclaimed. His first love was computers but he loved science as a whole and Nicola Tesla was one of his favourite inventors.

"The what?" Ratchet froze in place and gave his human companion stunned glare. It was always like that with Rafael, the boy would often say something that sounded innocent or ridiculous but in fact had tremendous value. Ratchet learned to always listen to what the teenage said just in case it was important.

"It was never confirmed but…" Raf started to explain.

oOo

 _March 17_ _th_ _. Autobot Base._

Special Agent William Fowler stood on the catwalk of Autobot Base and listened curiously to what Ratchet was explaining. All Autobots were sitting around and listening to the Medic with wide optics. On Nemesis Shockwave – and probably some Decepticons that were outside of camera range – listened via the video connection but his expression betrayed nothing because his face consisted of a single, glaring optic.

"… So, Tesla claimed that ray is an inefficient method but he said that he have developed an apparatus that could transfer high energy particles on large distances." Ratchet continued his lecture. "He was claiming to be able to projecting particles of varying sizes that could transmit large amounts of energy within a stream no thicker than a human hair."

"That is correct, rays have tendency to disperse." Shockwave agreed. "But the death beam was never confirmed to be real, as you admitted yourself."

"Yes. And Tesla wasn't the only one who claimed to have constructed a weapon of such kind." Ratchet nodded. "But I have researched the subject and I have found out that during the human World War II attempts at creating such a weapon were made by Axis Powers though their approaches were different and employed varying technologies. Tesla called his beam Teleforce2) but never really gave any specifications about it. We do not know if he ever really built any prototype, perhaps he had a model or a blue print of it."

"It's a far call." Wheeljack shrugged. Ratchet was excited about it but he preferred to stay sceptic. "It's a nice explanation but it gives us no details about what we're dealing with."

"Tesla's beam could have been electric current – an artificial lightning if you will." Ratchet explained. "A lightning is nothing else but electric energy travelling vast distances. He claimed it to be very thin and lightnings are in fact rather thin. Not human hair thin but still thinner than one could suspect just by watching them."

"The discharge we've examined was thick, not thin." Shockwave noticed and his antennae stirred lightly – and equivalent of risen opticbrow.

"I assume Silia is re-creating the device with modern human technology and modern human knowledge, her results may vary from Tesla's assumptions." Ratchet replied. "Also, Tesla's device wasn't meant to be simply tool of destruction, but rather means of energy transfer. Silia is probably seeking a way to optimise the idea for its destructive potential."

"As stretched as your theory is, it also has some merit." Shockwave admitted. "Even if Tesla's apparatus was mere fiction or wishful thinking, it still might have inspired MECH scientists toward building something of similar nature." He added. "Congratulate your human assistant, Rafael if I recall his name correctly, of his knowledge."

"How did you know it was him?" Ratchet pulled a stunned face.

"Logic dictates that a human would be more likely to know human history of science and inventions more than a Cybertronian." Shockwave explained in his usual tone. "Simple process of deduction leads to conclusion that you were told of Nicola Tesla's Death Beam by a human with scientific interests. There is only one human with such interests among your charges, Soundwave's database states that his name is Rafael. I will now inform Lord Megatron of your theory."

Without any more words Shockwave disconnected. The rec room went silent for a moment.

"Tell me again, what do you see in that guy?" Smokescreen asked Arcee, who only rolled her optics and walked out of the rec room.

"I know, I know! Apply more tact." Smokescreen sighed seeing everyone looking at him wordlessly.

"Heh, he's learning after all." Rewind said with what sounded like smirking under his mask. Steeljaw only huffed in reply and returned to taking a nap.

TBC.

1) Approximately one month.

2) Tele not as in telephone or television though. _Tele_ in Greek means "far" or "distant" so it means a force sent to a distant location.


	11. Nothing can go wrong

**Sugar.**

" _There's sugar on your soul_

 _You're like no one I know_

 _You're the life of another world_

 _You swallow me whole_

 _With just a mumbled hello_

 _And it breaks my heart to love you,_

 _It breaks my heart to love you_ _"_ – Editors _"Sugar"._

 **Warnings** : Violence, explicit language, controversial subjects.

Timing: Post season 2 finale, in my very own Beauty of the Beast Prime timeline.

Rating: M (possibly even MA).

Pairings: multiple.

Disclaimer: Transformers Prime © Hasbro. Story's plot and OC's © me. There may be some OC's that aren't mine – they belong to their respective creators.

 **Nothing can go wrong.**

" _You can tell by the way, she walks that she's my girl,_

 _You can tell by the way, she talks she rules the world._

 _You can see in her eyes that no one is her chain,_

 _She's my girl, my Supergirl._

 _And then she'd say: It's OK, I got lost on the way_

 _But I'm a Supergirl and Supergirls don't cry._

 _And she'd say: It's all right, I got home late last night_

 _But I'm a Supergirl and Supergirls just fly._

 _And then she'd say, that_ _ **nothing can go wrong**_ _,_

 _When you're in love, what can go wrong?_

 _And then she'd laugh the night turns into the day,_

 _Pushing her fears further along. (…)"_ _–_ Reamon _"Supergirl"_

oOo

 _March 20_ _th_ _, morning. Unknown location._

The place looked like all the cheap motel room did: nondescript. It was a place that someone rented, tried not to think too much of all the stains on the furniture that were only visible under UV light, and forgot about it the moment they left. All kinds of people used these kinds of rooms, some lived in them for periods of time, others stayed for an hour or two. The management made sure not to inquire too much about their guests' activities outside of making sure they wouldn't demolish the rooms.

Silia contemplated the report she just read for a moment. All in all it wasn't a failure but it wasn't anything she'd expect either.

"Gentlemen, as you know we're not short on funds but we can't spend them needlessly either. This is impressive but I will not spend money on something because I fancy flashing lights and noise." She addressed the other occupants of the room – two men, one ridiculously obese and one muscled. "It has to have application that is worth of the expenditure. In other words, can it be weaponised?"

"We are not exactly sure." Said the obese man. "This particular device was never used as a weapon before; at least there are no sources that could confirm that."

"Hercules, this is called Death Beam, why else would it be called like that?" Silia narrowed her eyes at the fat man. "And the rumour has it that it was behind the Tunguska Event."

"Rumour has it that Tunguska was also caused by aliens, comet and Finger of God." The man called Hercules huffed. "The name came from its massive potential."

"Impressive potential." A greying military looking man added. "But military never used it despite the fact that it was never classified."

"Then find out." Silia decided. "Moriarty, make sure that Hercules and his team have what they need to make an attempt at turning it into actual Death Beam." She spoke to the military man and turned to the civilian. "Hercules, you have two weeks."

"Two weeks?" Hercules' many chins jiggled as he turned his head to stare at Silia with surprise.

"It already took long enough. If it's just a fancy flashing machine then it is a waste of time and money." Silia replied. "Moriarty, report to me in two weeks with the results of Hercules' efforts."

"Yes Silia." Moriarty nodded. The meeting was officially over.

oOo

 _March 27_ _th_ _. Autobot Base Omega – 3._

Ratchet snapped from over his current work when he heard knocking to his laboratory's door. He sighed tiredly, if it was Smokescreen or Hot Rod with some ridiculous injury, he swore he'd weld their servos together. And if it was Wheeljack or Bulkhead with some ridiculous injury, he'd weld their servos and pedes together.

"Enter." He finally growled not curious at all, who and why wanted to visit him.

"Oh, hey'a Do… umm, Ratchet, hope I'm not interrupting you." Blaster's horned helm peeked inside. He grinned in his best, apologising way, which meant that he looked like a kid who was caught stealing cookies from a cookie jar.

"What happened?" Ratchet asked showing no amusement.

"Uh, nothing. I just wanted to talk." The grin evaporated momentarily. "May I come in?"

"If you must."

"I don't, but it's about that mysterious weapon." Blaster entered the Infirmary. Much like Jazz, he was usually cheerful and smiling mech, and much like Jazz he could turn deadly serious in less than it takes to notice the change. Of course the differences started with the fact that Blaster was loud, proud and bombastic rocker while Jazz was smooth, sleek and sublime hipster. And where Jazz with his black ops training was simply lethal to his opponents, Blaster would rather apply psychology and his gift of persuasion.

"What about it?" Ratchet observed Blaster carefully, the mech was now serious and it meant that it was important.

"You said that you were researching for it but found nothing more than you already told us. And now we need to wait until Fowler will find any trace of MECH." Blaster started. "I assume that the MECH agents that we knew of are nowhere to be found."

"Fowler said that they did not resurface in the usual spots they've been seen previously. They still look for them but it's not that easy to find MECH." Ratchet confirmed. "And the facilities have been abandoned, probably at the same time."

"I was wondering… we do not know where they are now, but perhaps we can find the place they fired their Beam from?" Blaster asked.

"We already thought about it…" Ratchet shrugged.

oOo

 _Nemesis' bridge at the same time._

"And without a doubt Autobots and humans thought about it too." Starscream said with his usual sour face. "Why double their futile efforts?"

"We're not doubling anything yet." Megatron didn't spare his Air Commander even a single glance; instead he turned to his trusted TIC. "Soundwave, have you found anything?"

The Spymaster's only answer was shaking his head 'no' if the slow; bone idle movement of the mech's head could be called that.

"If both Autobots and Soundwave found nothing, then it looks like there's nothing to be found." Barricade huffed. He wasn't so sure about the Autobots, but if Soundwave's efforts brought no results, then there was nothing there… at least in the data networks. Barricade wasn't sure how Soundwave did it, as apathetic and idle as he seemed to be, he somehow got excellent results.

"For now no traces of the installation has been found either." Starscream spoke again.

"According to the specifications that Nicola Tesla gave, and we assume that MECH based their own work on his research, the so called 'Death Beam' should have range close to 200 miles." Shockwave informed and everyone glared at him in silence. "That is 321, 8 kilometres. The possible location is area of that exact radius and the device could have been activated in any location within that area's border."

"This doesn't seem that much." Barricade smirked.

Soundwave gave him a glare and displayed scaled map with the epicentre in where the 'Death Beam' hit the bikers and radius of 200 miles. The map was detailed with small towns, service stations, inns, bars and all the tiny places when humans could be found.

"Now, that complicates things." Motormaster narrowed his optics at Soundwave's visor. It actually looked like visualisation of scraplet invasion.

"More than I expected to see." Barricade admitted. The sight of flashy marks hurt his optics.

"This is why we propose a solution." Shockwave turned directly to Megatron. "Soundwave and I agreed to recommend an orbital observation."

"Orbital observation?" Megatron's opticbrows rose. "No, for now there's little point in doing that. We will continue to leave the advances methods of search to humans and Autobots and limit ourselves to ground patrols only." The Decepticon Tyrant decided. "We will return to your idea if the need will arise."

oOo

 _Autobot Base._

When Ratchet and Blaster entered the Rec Room everyone who was in the base was already there. The message of urgent meeting missed only those who were out patrolling or on curb duty, leaving the base short of Bulkhead, Bumblebee and Hot Rod.

Agent Fowler stood on the catwalk talking with the Prime. When Optimus noticed that Ratchet and Blaster came in he called for everyone's attention.

"Agent Fowler came with news." The Prime announced. "All ground and air patrols in search area have been called back. Only Decepticons will continue their ground patrols."

"Our search brought no effects. We don't want to scare the MECH away and into hiding. This is why I have asked General Brice to issue orbital search." Fowler said to the gathered Autobots. "He is now getting all the formalities and permissions but we should get ourselves an eye in the sky soon."

"You should have asked Blaster to hijack one of the satellites; you'd have an eye in the sky long time ago." Smokescreen cheered from his spot causing everyone to give him a blank stare. "Oh come on, that was a joke!" The young mech huffed in exasperation.

Everyone rolled their optics or eyes in Fowler's case. Smokescreen was a nice young mech with great if immature sense of humour but he tends to display it in most unexpected and sometimes inappropriate moments.

oOo

 _March 30_ _th_ _. Evening. Darby's house._

It was still an early, Sunday evening. Jack and Miko sat at the kitchen table while June rested on the couch in the living room. Occupying the couch was still better than being locked in her bedroom so she was now spending her days there. At least she could watch some TV there. The entire bed regime was difficult for her, she wasn't accustomed to lay idle and do nothing but in all honesty she didn't felt like breaking the doctor's orders, after all she was a nurse (and as soon as she's be back on her feet she was to finish her studies and start to be a doctor) and she knew that following such orders was important. Although right now she wasn't really caring about anything as she was dozing away – the boredom sent her into an evening nap. She was napping a lot lately because there was little more for her to do anyway.

Jack and Miko burst in laughter just when a swirling light of a Groundbridge appeared and spit downsized Megatron out. The mech looked around and noticed two snorting humans sitting at the table.

"What's so funny?" He asked glaring at them suspiciously just in case they were laughing at him.

"Not you, if that's what you think." Jack took a deep breath to calm down. "We're just talking about the latest idea."

"Yeah, Blaster hacking some satellites to spy on MECH." Miko explained upon seeing Megatron's lifted opticbrow.

"Someone had interesting idea." Megatron looked around in search of June but before he could ask, Miko giggled.

"Smokescreen has plenty of interesting idea." Jack explained ignoring Miko's smirk.

"In that case, it's a terrible idea." Megatron instantly changed his mind. As far as he was concerned if it came from Smokescreen it had to be bad idea. In reply he received burst of laughter from the two adolescents. "Where's June?" The Decepticon Leader asked ignoring the humans' mirth.

"Here… "June lifted her head from the couch, the loud laughter wakened her.

Megatron turned to the living room area and only then he spotted June. He missed her before because she looked like a heap of blankets.

"What's going on?" The woman asked waking up fully.

"Nothing, Mrs D, we're just talking about Smokescreen behind his back." Miko grinned widely.

June shook her head and began to get up when Megatron protested. "You should stay down, you're under bed regime."

"Megatron, bed regime doesn't mean I'm tied to my bed, or my couch for that matter." June explained standing up and tossing the blankets away. "I need to move around, if only to go to the bathroom every now and then. And right now I really need to stretch my back."

"Umm. Mrs D… "Miko suddenly stood up from her chair. "You're bleeding!" She finished with scared voice.

"What?" June looked down and visibly paled. She was bleeding. A blood stain was clear and slowly growing.

Before June could utter a word Jack pulled his phone and started to dial. "I'm calling your doctor." He said to his mother.

"I'm calling Ratchet." Miko pulled her own phone.

But before any of them managed to lift their phones to their ears Megatron was already by petrified June, gently picking her up. "I'm taking her to Nemesis." He announced to the two.

"No, she needs her doctor." Jack protested. "I will take her."

"Absolutely not." Megatron wouldn't have any of that.

"Ratchet is sending a Groundbridge." Miko cut in before the two could start an argument. "You'll get her to her doctor directly from the base." She explained. "Err… Megatron is here, he's carrying June, is it all right if… Okay. We're on our way."

The moment she disconnected a Groundbridge opened and they instantly entered it.

TBC.


	12. Gimme Dream Child

**Sugar.**

" _There's sugar on your soul_

 _You're like no one I know_

 _You're the life of another world_

 _You swallow me whole_

 _With just a mumbled hello_

 _And it breaks my heart to love you,_

 _It breaks my heart to love you_ _"_ – Editors _"Sugar"._

 **Warnings** : Violence, explicit language, controversial subjects.

Timing: Post season 2 finale, in my very own Beauty of the Beast Prime timeline.

Rating: M (possibly even MA).

Pairings: multiple.

Disclaimer: Transformers Prime © Hasbro. Story's plot and OC's © me. There may be some OC's that aren't mine – they belong to their respective creators.

 **Gimme Dream Child.**

" _Gimme the ring, kissed and toll'd_

 _Gimme something that I missed_

 _A hand to hold, wild and what it seems..._

 _Kill the king, when love is the law_

 _And the we'll turn round..._

 _ **Gimme dream child**_

 _And do you hear me call?_

 _On the loan and on the level_

 _...still on the floor_

 _Sing dream child_

 _And do you hear at all? (…)"_ _–_ Sisters of Mercy1) _"This Corrosion"_

oOo

 _March 30_ _th_ _, morning. Area 51. Hospital._

It didn't take nearly as much as any of them expected. The place itself looked different than they thought it would, or at least different than Miko and Jack thought. Then again, this was not public hospital but military one. The corridor was empty, shiny and brightly lit. Only one nurse came by as they waited and all she did was giving a curious glare to Megatron. They didn't really talk while they waited, somehow neither of them had anything to say. What does one even say in situations like this that doesn't sound like self-delusion?

Finally the Doctor and two nurses came out. The nurses momentarily vanished from their sight leaving the Doctor behind.

"How is she?" Jack was the first to utter any sound out of himself.

"For now your mother is stable and the Newspark is secured, but I can't say how long it will last." The Doctor replied seriously. "Her body is not prepared for such an exotic pregnancy."

It was sinking in for a moment before Megatron spoke. "How bad is it?"

"It's pretty bad. You see the problem here is not only her age, women her age can handle pregnancies if under good, medical care; the problem is that this is not human pregnancy. The growth of the Newspark is now much faster than that of a human foetus which in turn strains her body much more than regular pregnancy would." The Doctor explained. "It would probably affected her differently if the growth was steady but in this case at first the growth was almost non-existent and only lately it sped up as if to make up for the lost time. Not even a woman in her twenties would take well such accelerated growth."

"Doctor, Cybertronian gestation takes longer than human." Megatron pointed out. "How the growth can be faster?"

"It may be due to the fact that Cybertronians in their natural state are much larger than humans." The Doctor guessed.

"The bitlet is much smaller than it would be if June was Cybertronian." Megatron evinced the obvious fact.

"It still grew more than a human foetus could in such a short period." The Doctor stated. "The size difference since the last time I saw June is tremendous. Her body is not prepared for this kind of growth patterns so it tries to cope with it the best it can and protect itself from such an abuse."

"What does it all mean for mum?" Jack finally asked.

"She needs to stay here. But I must warn you; this pregnancy may not last much longer." The Doctor forewarned. "And while I can help June make it safely, I don't know if I can do anything for her baby."

"For a Cybertronian, and Technoorganics are just that, premature parturition is not necessarily fatal and the bitlet can continue its growth in an incubation tank as long as its developed enough." Megatron revealed.

"How can you tell if the Sparkcasing is already developed enough?" The Doctor asked. This was valuable information for her.

"You would have to ask a medic." Megatron shook his head.

"I see. Nothing to be done about it then, we need to wait and see what will happen." The Doctor sighed tiredly. "You may see her now but she is tired and it is late, so make it quick. You will have more time tomorrow."

"Thank you." Jack moved away from the Doctor's way and she left hurriedly. They walked into June's room quietly.

oOo

 _Nemesis. Later._

Nemesis hovered over New Kaon re-construction site where it delivered supplies just the previous evening and stayed for the night. The abandoned town that used to be Jasper was barely visible in the distance. No light shone there now, no car drove by.

Megatron stomped through the corridors of his flagship in utter silence; his face was as dark as it was just after he re-joined his crew on Earth. Those who saw him could swear that they haven't seen him so grim ever since Orion Pax regained his memory after they battled the Unmaker.

Few turns took the Decepticon Lord to the Infirmary. It was already the time that Knockout's duty would be over, leaving only one of his Nurses on the night duty but he was informed that the Doctor was still 'working'.

The Decepticon Warlord stormed into the Infirmary without so much as forewarning. The giggles and other noises ceased immediately, catching three Nurses and one Doctor in most compromising position. They froze with their legs sticking in various directions, half-laying half-sitting on a stainless steel table for almost as second before they hurriedly untangled their limbs and stood to attention. Megatron looked not so much angry as royally pissed off and it meant that something serious happened. The mech never had cheerful look on him in the best times, but when he looked like was about to go genocidal, things were grim.

"I need an incubation tank ready first thing in the morning." Megatron barked in raspy voice.

"But, Lord Megatron, we don't even have an incubation tank." Knockout's optics grew round; it was not what he expected to hear. "We never had. It's a warship."

"I don't care; it is to be ready tomorrow." Megatron narrowed his optics. "Along with yourself, I'm taking you to see June."

"Yes My Liege." Was all Knockout was able to mutter.

"As you were." Megatron turned away and marched off the Infirmary closing the door behind. His steps echoed for a moment before all went silent.

"What now?" One of the Nurses asked.

"I've lost my mood." Knockout sighed with sour face. It didn't take genius to guess that it was all about Lady June and Megatron's Heir. And all signs indicated that something went wrong. "I need to speak to Shockwave." Knockout decided and directed himself at the door. "You girls have fun." He said before leaving.

oOo

 _March 31_ _st_ _. Special Agent William Fowler's office._

It was normal Monday morning, or as normal as it could be in this line of work. At first sight it looked like regular office work – Fowler woke in the morning, cursed that it is Monday yet again, ate his breakfast, said his good byes with his wife and got to his office. He entered the building, or what passed as a 'building' and walked his usual route that took him to the secretary room to see if he had any mail to pick up.

The secretary was already behind her desk – secretaries in Fowler's department always started their day an hour earlier to prepare all the documents.

"Any papers for me?" He asked with just as much enthusiasm as a ten days corpse would have.

"Yes sir." The secretary got up and grabbed a handful of documents from a pile. "These are equipment requests from your men to approve." She handled him one paper after another. "These are reports for you to sign, this is from general's office, they ask you to send them a copy of…" She listed every single sheet of paper she handled him. "And these are satellite pictures you have requested." She finally produced thin, yellow envelope. It was sealed.

"Thank you." Fowler concentrated on the envelope. "Finally, I thought's they forgot about this." He lifted the envelope and went to his office.

oOo

 _Autobot base Omega – 3._

Jack and Miko sat on the stair leading to the area where they usually resided in silence. Miko held podgy looking duffel bag in her lap. Despite looking bored she wasn't playing with her phone, just turned every now and then and looked at the direction of Ratchet's lab.

It was early but the base was already empty – everyone was either patrolling, scouting, having a curb duty around Raf's house, recharging night shift off or – in case of Jazz – having monitor duty.

"Yo, kids." Jazz lifted his head from behind the monitors. "Aren't ya bein' late for school?"

He was a bit curious about them sitting like that but figured that perhaps they were waiting for Bulkhead or maybe Smokescreen to get them, but when he checked the time he realised that they usually were off by now.

"We didn't go." Miko replied in uncharacteristically serious tone.

"But we're excused." Jack added. He sounded serious too, but then again he usually did. "We called our teachers to tell them that we won't make it today because my mum is in hospital."

"I thought they let her go." Jazz winced but only slight grimace of his lips betrayed that, the rest was obscured by the shiny visor covering his optics.

"No, she's staying in the hospital." Jack shook his head.

'That's why I have a bag for her." Miko pointed at the duffel bag. "Mrs D needs her stuff."

"She's a tough lady, she'll be fine." Jazz said seriously. He wanted to say something more but was interrupted.

"You two are ready?" Ratchet walked out of the corridor and turned to the two young humans.

"Yup, and we have Mrs D's stuff too." Miko stood up and held the bad for Ratchet to see.

"Ratchet, you're goin' too?" Jazz focused on the Medic, not trying his luck with calling him 'Doc'.

"I do. I need to talk to the Doctor." Ratchet conformed. "Open us Groundbridge to the A51's Hospital coordinates if you will."

"No prob. You ask for it, you got it." Jazz smiled. "Hold on, we've got incomin'."

"Can you make it quick?" Ratchet huffed. He didn't like to be put on hold.

"Don't know, it's Fowler." Jazz shrugged and answered the call. "'Sup, Agent Fowler?

"Is Prime there?" The man asked.

"Nope, OP's out." Jazz negated. "But I'll pass the message."

"Tell him that the satellite pictures I've asked for showed nothing." Fowler spat out the not very happy news.

"That sucks." Jazz's smile evaporated. "Anythin' else? I've got a queue here."

"What? What's going on in there?" Fowler asked and tried to look behind the Hipster Autobot but the camera range wouldn't allow him.

"June's in hospital, Ratchet and the kids are waitin' for a 'Bridge." Jazz explained.

"How bad?" Fowler suddenly turned from irritated to serious.

"Nurse Darby lives, but she requires some of her personal items." Ratchet spoke from behind camera's range. "And I want to talk to her Doctor. I would appreciate if you could stop detaining Jazz and let him operate the Groundbridge."

"Understood. Keep me posted." Fowler nodded and disconnected.

"Now, the coordinates, if you please?" Ratchet turned to Jazz with serious and impatient face.

"Say no more." Jazz smirked and the Groundbridge activated.

oOo 

_Area 51 hospital._

The Groundbridge dropped them out on the hospital's parking lot. Jazz made sure that it was a place where Ratchet would fit seeing that he never got himself the Size Shifter installed, claiming that he doesn't trust the Decepticon designed device.

"Megatron was about to wait here." Ratchet looked around but failed to notice the tall mech.

"You know, he might have got it." Jack pointed out. "He can downsize."

"You could too, you know." Miko added.

"I said that I will not have it installed. I don't care that Shockwave made it." Ratchet crossed his arms on his chest, or rather did something as close to it as possible. Before Miko or Jack could say a word screaming tyres caught their attention and a pristine, vividly red Aston Martin sped into their direction from the other side of the parking lot where it had to be parked.

There was no mistake of who it was. Not with that polish, not with that plate and not with that driving. The car came to an abrupt halt just near them and half spun into a halt, opening its driver's door and allowing downsized Megatron out.

"Remind me to never allow you to pilot anything, Knockout. It's a good thing you are not a flyer." The Tyrant growled clearly not having enjoyed the short ride. "You'd probably cause a serious crash in mid-air if you were."

"Now, My Liege, I'm not such a terrible pilot." Knockout spoke with tone of fake hurt in his voice and a smirk on his lips. "Though I admit that I feel better on the solid ground, and I am much better driver than a pilot… in fact I am great driver."

"You're an abomination and put the proud profession of Medic into shame." Ratchet growled but was ignored.

"I called the Doctor; she'll be here in a moment." Jack announced putting his phone back into his pocket.

"Why call her? We're going to meet her inside." Megatron questioned.

"Because Ratchet isn't downsizing and he wants to have a word with her." Jack explained dryly.

They didn't have to wait long, the woman was out in a moment and in another she managed to walk through the parking lot to meet the mixed company of humans and Cybertronians.

"June is waiting for you three." She said to the two humans and Megatron. "She feels much better today but still she needs to rest and stay calm so do not upset her."

"I have some stuff." Miko lifted the bag. "Can we go already?"

"Of course." The Doctor gestured to the hospital.

"Doctor, if I may, a moment of your time?" Ratchet asked the Doctor.

"Of course." The Doctor agreed and turned to the waiting trio. "You three go, ask a nurse to escort you, I will join you later."

"Make it two moments." Knockout suggested. "One for each of us."

"And you are?" The Doctor asked giving the other mech a once over.

"Doctor Knockout." He introduced himself. "And despite my name, I'm an aesthete, not an aesthetician."

"I didn't know Autobots had two medics."

"We don't." Ratchet huffed in annoyance. "He's a Decepticon sawbones."

"I will disregard this comment for the sake of the cease fire." Knockout straightened his back and assumed dignified pose but he sounded just as if he was trying to vex Ratchet further.

"I see." The Doctor sighed; it looked like some sort of odd kind of pissing match. "Perhaps let's just focus on the issue?"

"That would be the best thing to do. I wanted to ask about June's condition." Ratchet focused on the doctor and ignored the other mech.

"There's not much to say. She won't be able to carry it to term. She won't even manage to keep it for much longer or else the increased growth will cause her uterus to burst." The Doctor shrugged slightly.

"As long as the Sparkcasing is developed enough to protect the Spark during the delivery and the protoform matter is not damaged the bitlet should survive the premature birth." Ratchet stated in a matter of fact tone. "It would require an incubation tank though."

"How can you tell that the Sparkcasing is developed enough and how fast after birth such a bitlet must be transferred to an incubation tank?" The Doctor asked. She needed to know how to proceed with Cybetrtronian new born.

"There is no way to really tell how well the Sparkcasing is developed before the bitlet emerges." Knockout answered before Ratchet could. "And it has to be transferred immediately. The underdeveloped protoform is very susceptible to corrosion and has no defence mechanisms to prevent the oxidation. It has to rely on incubation tank for protection."

"Then we will require one at hand." The Doctor decided. "Do you have it available?"

"I have them constructed as we speak." Knockout boasted.

"By whom?" Ratchet gave the other mech a cold glare.

"I've asked Shockwave to aid me with that." Knockout only smiled lazily. "He suggested that since June will be remaining here, that we should have one stationary and one portable to bring it here."

"How large this incubator can be?" The Doctor suddenly realised that both Autobots and Decepticons were much larger than humans and so their medical equipment would also be larger.

"It can be any size since it is basically a tank with power cords, feeding tubs and fluid inside, connected to power source and nutrition source." Knockout explained. "The one on Nemesis will be the standard Cybertronian size and the portable one will be scaled to fit in human sized interiors."

"I expected that the bitlet would reside in Autobot base." Ratchet exclaimed with note of challenge in his voice.

"Why, my Autobot colleague, there is no reason why the bitlet should reside in your base. It is Megatron's offspring and Decepticons happen to possess more resources."

Ratchet's only answer to that was annoyed 'humph' and nothing else. Knockout was right as much as Ratchet hated to admit it. It was Megatron's bitlet and Decepticons had easier access to all the resources the bitlet would require, starting with specialist medical equipment and ending with minerals that were hard or impossible to come by on Earth but were easy to get from Cybertron – if one had a Spacebridge at hand.

As much as they managed to salvage from Harbinger and the Plague Ship they still weren't as well equipped as the Decepticons and their Spacebridge was gone along with their first base.

"One more thing, Doctor, I would like to see Lady June." Knockout addressed the Doctor.

"Naturally. June should be interested in how you plan to proceed with her baby." The Doctor agreed. "

"Splendid." Knockout smirked. "Just give me a moment to make myself ready." He said and began to downsize to Ratchet's further irritation. It looked like series of transform-ups but with each round Knockout was smaller. It took him little time to finally reach the right size.

Ratchet only huffed and transformed into his ambulance form, watching as the Doctor and Knockout walked away.

TBC.

1) Originally performed as The Sisterhood (SoM alter ego meant to vex the ex-band members and kind of rip them of a contract).


	13. Got Some

**Sugar.**

" _There's sugar on your soul_

 _You're like no one I know_

 _You're the life of another world_

 _You swallow me whole_

 _With just a mumbled hello_

 _And it breaks my heart to love you,_

 _It breaks my heart to love you_ _"_ – Editors _"Sugar"._

 **Warnings** : Violence, explicit language, controversial subjects.

Timing: Post season 2 finale, in my very own Beauty of the Beast Prime timeline.

Rating: M (possibly even MA).

Pairings: multiple.

Disclaimer: Transformers Prime © Hasbro. Story's plot and OC's © me. There may be some OC's that aren't mine – they belong to their respective creators.

 **Got some.**

" _Every night with the lights out where you gone? What's wrong?_

 _Every time you can try but can't turn on, a rock song_

 _I got some if you need it, I got some if you need it_

 _I got some if you need it, I got some if you need it_

 _Get it now, get it on, before it's gone, let's everybody carry on, carry on_

 _Get it now, set it off, before it's gone, let's everybody carry on, carry on_

 _Precipitation, which side are you on? Are you on the rise, are you falling down?_

 _Let me know, c'mon let's go yeah_ _(…)" –_ Pearl Jam) _"Got Some"_

oOo

 _April 3_ _rd_ _. Indescribable desert area._

It was evaluation day. Finally. At least to some. Hercules was not very eager; the time he was given was too short in his opinion and the resources too modest. One could consider him to be spoiled and gormandising type just by looking at him – the man was... voluminous, to say it gently, his weight crossed the line between overweight and obese long time ago and now was gently slighting toward ginormousity1). But one who would judge Hercules just by his... impressive... enormity would make a grave mistake in judgement for as... considerable as his tonnage was the man was very disciplined, at least when it came to science, and could perform miracles with minimal resources, but he also realised that the more resources he would possess the better results he would present.

Right now, two weeks after the last meeting, he had his chance to present more encouraging results. Sort of.

"...les, you had two weeks." Silia's voice woke Hercules from his pondering over his work. "What do you have for us?"

"Me and my team managed to narrow the beam." Hercules started knowing fully well that it sounded better than it was. "That in turn improved accuracy of the device, but the beam is still not stable enough to serve as reliable weapon." He finished.

"I don't understand why not recreate Demostecles, only as ground version? It was a good weapon that worked." One of the military men asked with irritation. Hercules didn't even bother to learn his name, he was one of the masked types that came and went.

"That's because Demostecles' cannon requires vacuum and zero or near zero gravity to ignite and we do not have means to launch one to the orbit. Yet." Silia explained. The scientists didn't have problems with understanding why they didn't rebuilt Demostecles. Somehow military part of MECH never succeeded with memorising that this particular weapon didn't work on Earth.

"The Tesla Death Beam works on planet's surface." Hercules admitted. "But it cannot be successfully weaponised at present time. Unless you plan to set a small town on fire."

"Then what it is good for?" Silia hissed. Her patience was running thin.

"There is one thing I can think of." Hercules allowed himself a small smile. "If I could built a receiver, say an aerial that would concentrate the beam in one spot; it could serve as energy transmitter – the Tesla Beam would sent the particles to receiver and generate electricity. The energy levels in that device are very high so it has the potential to charge large battery in mere seconds." Hercules elaborated. "That's what it was meant to serve as, so why not use it as it was meant to?"

"I see uses for that. Batteries for our plasma cannons could be charged this way. It would certainly make plasma cannons more usable weapons." Silia pondered for a moment. "How long would it take you to contrive such a receiver?" She asked Hercules.

The man shrugged and looked at his two assistants – also scientists – who stood silently behind him.

"I don't have to." He said plainly. "We simply reverse the process of generating the beam. All I need is material durable enough so we can build a dish capable of surviving high temperatures generated by the beam."

"Do it then." Silia nodded. It wouldn't be weapon itself, but it could power some other weapons so it wouldn't be total waste of time and money. "Moriarty..."

"I know." The man sighed. Being the main henchman wasn't as fun as it seemed. It required a lot of work. "I'll get Hercules the materials he needs as soon as he'll give me specifications."

"Splendid." Silia nodded with satisfaction. "Notify me when you will be ready."

oOo

 _April 11_ _th_ _. Special Agent William Fowler's office. Area 51._

Special Agent William Fowler looked through another batch of satellite pictures. The covered pretty vast area and were quite detailed and yet neither showed anything even remotely looking like some secret MECH installation. It was irritating because he just knew that the bastards were somewhere there, and so their nasty thunder machine should be too. So why couldn't he find it?

The man sighed and leaned back in his chair, he could stare at the satellite pictures all day and he still wouldn't see anything there. Not to mention that they were studied by specialists before they landed on his desk. He just got them for his documentation.

He was about to decide that it was lunch time when he phone rang. It was the secretary. He answered it without much enthusiasm.

"Yeah?" He asked, "Put him through then." He decided and waited for the secretary to patch the call. "General Brice, sir. Yes I have received the materials." He sat straighter. "They show absolutely nothing… Nothing. And if it was used but we can't find it, then I figure that perhaps it is portable? … I mean… Yes. But if they just set it, fired, packed it and went wherever they wanted, we wouldn't see anything on the pictures because whatever they have is not there anymore. They just threw it on a truck, or a pick-up or two, and took off." Fowler explained. "I know it complicates everything, but that's the only explanation. If it was fired and it is not anywhere within the range, then it must mean that it was there but was taken away… They just needed empty test site and… Does it matter if they planned to hit anyone? I mean to us. We can still try to find them, it's not like we don't do that all the time. Yes sir, goodbye sir."

He hung the phone back. The General wasn't pleased with the idea but he had to accept it as an explanation. Frankly, Fowler had no other idea how to explain that they couldn't find anything. Naturally the range of the device could have been greater than they assumed, but then again they worked on the data that they had and if they dropped the data they had then they could just as well assume that the bikers were hit by Merlin the Wizard. Or Zeus for that matter.

oOo

 _Nemesis._

It was the middle of the ship's daytime even though outside it was already evening. The ship floated high above the jetliners routes, with vast space above and vast ocean below. The tranquil silence around the vessel was contrasting with its inside that was buzzing with activity. Sometimes even literally.

The bridge was a bit calmer than other areas but it still was a busy place. The incoming call wasn't uncommon occurrence; mines were calling with reports all the time. But call from Autobots happened only on special occasions, and so Soundwave answered it personally and redirected it to Shockwave who was in charge of the Bridge at the moment (to Starscream's utter displeasure).

"Optimus Prime." Shockwave greeted the Autobot Leader. "What is the urgency?"

"I take it that Megatron is out?" The Prime asked seeing the single optic of the Tarnian Noble.

"He is not available at the moment." Shockwave confirmed. "What is your need?"

"I have received news from Agent Fowler regarding the Death Beam." Optimus informed the scientist. "The satellite search revealed no trace of MECH presence. He concluded that the device must be portable."

"In lack of signs of MECH presence it is only logical explanation." Shockwave nodded and his antennae stirred revealing that if he could, he would be perplexed.

"That sets us back in the square one." Starscream added bitterly from behind the ex-Senator.

"That means that we have some Death Beam on the loose." Barricade offered his input. "And it can be anywhere."

"We cannot allow such situation to last." Shockwave decided and his winglets rose high and spread wide in display of domination. "Thank you for notifying us, Prime; I will make sure that Megatron will be informed."

"You're welcome." The Prime managed to answer before the connection ended.

Shockwave turned to Soundwave who cocked his head in mute communication.

"Indeed." Shockwave's antennae moved to more relaxed position. "It seems that time has come for steps to be taken on our part."

The Silent Mech nodded once.

Behind him and Shockwave Starscream rolled his optics. It looked like these two bores would finally have their way. But right now Starscream wouldn't argue about how stupid it was. He hated MECH and so he wanted it destroyed, it's just that there would be no living with these two.

oOo

 _April 13_ _th_ _. Geostationary orbit somewhere above southern states of USA._

VOP.

Skywarp materialised in the vast and dark emptiness above Earth. At first the sight of empty space was disorienting, the planet was behind his back and all he could see was space, but the feeling passed immediately – it was nothing new to him. He scanned the space around and spotted his aim few hundreds of kilometres away, not much of a distance in this place. He activated his manoeuvre engines in correct order to point himself in right direction and then fired his main engine just long enough to slowly float there. Flying in open space was effortless.

Two tripplechangers observed as a lone seeker with four large energon cubes, two of them tied to each wing, flew to them in seemingly snail pace. When he finally reached the right distance, he activated his manoeuvre engines to come to a halt. All in complete silence2).

"Help yourselves." Skywarp said to the two mechs.

"Finally, I thought they've forgotten about us." Astrotrain started to untie two of the cubes while Blitzwing did the same with the other two.

"Don't blame me." With his wings empty, Skywarp transformed. "You volunteered."

"I didn't, I was ordered." Astrotrain growled.

"But I did." Blitzwing, currently in his Random self, peeped gleefully. "I can spy on all the topless fleshy chicks I want from here! A – ha ha ha ha!"

"That's it. I officially request a change of a partner." Astrotrain whined. "One more day alone with this loon and I'll go just as mad as he is!"

"Well, I guess you can ask for that. But the only free mechs for the taking right now are the twins." Skywarp giggled.

"In that case, send them here but leave Blitzwing and take me instead." Astrotrain decided. "The two terrors and this loon can spy on all the nude girls they so please!"

That comment resulted in Skywarp cackling like a hen laying a square egg.

"The twins already watched enough porn on the human computer network for Soundwave to install parental control filters on all computers on Nemesis." Blitzwing replied in cool and composed tone of his Icy persona that he apparently switched in the meantime. "Allowing them to spy on half-naked human females would be undermining Soundwave's authority as their superior." He finished and his solemn face grimaced for a moment, morphing back into crazy grin when he shifted back to Random. "That'd be crazy enough to try! A HA HA HA!" The maniacal laugh ended and the grin dissolved back into calmness. "That would make Soundwave making me suffer the consequences though." Then his serene face wrinkled into grimace of anger when the Hothead took over the control. "But I'm not afraid! I can take that scraggy stick figure legged scoundrel any time!" He stated and grinned again when he returned to Random. "It would be fun to see what would happen!" He exclaimed and began to laugh maniacally.

"Ahh, now I see what you meant." Skywarp said to Astrotrain after the show seemed to be mostly over.

The still sane tripplechanger didn't sigh only due to the fact that he was in space and there was no air to vent.

oOo

 _April 15_ _th_ _. Fast food bar._

The place was filled with people and where there were people there was also noise. Especially that there were children there as well. It was middle of the week so the place wasn't as crowded as it would be in the weekend but it was still pretty full. Everyone was talking to either people they came with or to their phones. This was why no one paid any mind to what someone else was talking, so when Silia's phone rang no one even noticed. Except for Silia.

"What is it?" They were using pre-paid phones exclusively and changed the numbers frequently, never keeping the same SIM card for too long, but the only people who knew that they would reach Silia under these digits were other MECH members so she knew that whoever rang was either MECH or wrong number. If it was wrong number she would know instantly. If it was MECH, then they would simply say why they called.

She kept silent for a moment as she listened to whoever called.

"Good." She almost smiled. Finally some satisfying news. "Find suitable test site and make sure that the distance between transmitter and the receiver will be sufficient enough to obtain reliable results."

No one paid any attention to what she has said. People were preoccupied with other things and even if anyone heard what she was saying, they just ignored it. She ate her food without being disturbed and left.

oOo

 _Area 51's hospital. June Darby's room._

June Darby lay in solitary room – she was the only woman with endangered pregnancy in the hospital… in fact she was the only woman with an endangered, technoorganic pregnancy on the planet… as far as anyone could tell at least.

But the fact that she was the only woman in such predicament on the whole Earth wasn't all that troublesome for her. What bugged her most was that she felt bad most of the time and that she was alone. Jack and Miko visited when they were free, but they did spend their days at school and Jack was preparing himself to graduate and go to the College. Megatron visited as often as he could too, but he had an entire Cybertronian faction to lead and he was participating in the MECH hunt – a hunt that June realised was also in her own best interest.

The poor condition was yet another reason to be sour. She was drained, she felt as if she didn't even had enough strength to lay on her bed as if laying limp was too much strain on her. The IV fed her with various nutritious substances but it was yet another unpleasant detail. The only moments when June didn't feel miserable were the ones when she was sleeping. Although the more appropriate term would probably be 'unconscious' since sleep usually regenerates one's strength and she felt just as tired after waking up as she felt before falling asleep.

At this particular moment Jack was with her and she at least had some distraction (she had TV but there was nothing there safe for the repeats and commercials). He came as soon as he was free while Miko – no surprise there – ended up in detention for pulling a prank on a teacher.

"So, they were still trying to unglue his shoes from the floor when I was leaving." Jack shrugged. "Good thing he had spare shoes so he didn't end up running around in his socks."

"Why would she do that?" June asked in tired voice. Normally she would either be angry at Miko or she would laugh (that wasn't the worse that Miko could pull and it was kind of funny), but at that moment she was just tired.

"Because she's Miko." Jack shrugged. "She has an opinion to uphold."

"Really." June sighed. Miko was and would forever be Miko. And that included doing things that were not completely agreeable to other people… which was pretty much what Wreckers did. And as organic as Miko was, she was pretty archetypical Wrecker.

"What can I say? Miko will be Miko." Jack smiled. "Anyway, since Miko is, as she would say, 'held captive by the enemy' I'll be going now so if you like me to bring you anything, I'll get it for you later."

"No, I'm good for now… "June started and then turned red and paled immediately after. Her face covered in cold sweat as she bent in half on the bed. "Oh GOD! Jack!"

"MUM!" Jack jumped closer to the bed.

"Get help now!" June growled in pain.

Jack didn't lost a bit, before June could say anything else he was outside of her room and catching a nurse. A moment later the Doctor was already taking June away.

TBC.

1) Okay, so it would be clear, aside of being a MECH scientist, Hercules is not despicable type (that's Silia and Moriarty's job), he is massive and tall (which only makes him look larger), likes bacon and mayonnaise sandwiches and generally you'd probably like him as a person. Though you'd never be able to force him to go anywhere – you wouldn't be able to drag him there. The thing about Hercules is that he frankly doesn't care that MECH is evil, he doesn't mind, he embraces that idea and just carry on. Also, he wasn't always overweight, so his involvement with MECH is not some sort of revenge over past humiliations. Actually, he likes himself the way he is now. Hercules just wants to play with science and MECH allows him to go wild with his craziest ideas... well, at least as long as they look weapon-ish enough and bring some results.

2) In vacuum of space you can't hear any sounds. It is so because sound spreads in form of waves and waves require medium, such as gas or fluid (or even solid matter). No particles – no waves – no sound (light is a different matter because it is both a particle and a wave – light particles are photons, and light is also a part of spectrum of electromagnetic radiation).

The conversation is carried by short range radio transmissions that are represented the same way as normal dialogue (when performed in Cybertronian-only company where the means of communication makes no difference).

Oh, and yeah, if you enjoy Star Wars then I'm sorry to disappoint you – all the fancy space ship engine sounds would not be heard in space. In reality all the fancy space battle scenes in SW (and any other space operas) would occur in dead silence – the only noise that could be heard would be inside of the ships and that would probably be orders and curses, not engine and cannon fire sounds.


	14. New Life

**Sugar.**

" _There's sugar on your soul_

 _You're like no one I know_

 _You're the life of another world_

 _You swallow me whole_

 _With just a mumbled hello_

 _And it breaks my heart to love you,_

 _It breaks my heart to love you_ _"_ – Editors _"Sugar"._

 **Warnings** : Violence, explicit language, controversial subjects.

Timing: Post season 2 finale, in my very own Beauty of the Beast Prime timeline.

Rating: M (possibly even MA).

Pairings: multiple.

Disclaimer: Transformers Prime © Hasbro. Story's plot and OC's © me. There may be some OC's that aren't mine – they belong to their respective creators.

 **New Life.**

" _I stand still stepping on the shady street_

 _And I watch that man to a stranger_

 _You think you only know me when you turn on the light_

 _Now the room is lit red danger_

 _Complicating, circulating_

 _New life, new life_

 _Operating, generating_

 _New life, new life_

 _Transition to another place_

 _All the time will pass more slowly_

 _Your features used and your shadows red_

 _Like a film I've seen now show me (…)"_ _–_ Depeche Mode1) _"New Life"_

oOo

 _April 15_ _th_ _. Area 51._

It didn't take even ten minutes since Jack called and Megatron and Knockout waltzed in with what looked like rocket powered fish tank. They completely ignored the safety protocols of both hospital and the military base – they just Groundbridged directly to the hospital's corridor – if Jack was to make bets he'd wager that it was Soundwave's courtesy.

They didn't even stop when they passed Jack, Megatron only nodded to him, Jack wasn't sure if it was just means of greeting or thanking for a call. In the end it probably didn't matter. They directed themselves straight at the operation room but were immediately stopped.

A tall nurse looking like Naomi Campbell's prettier sister stood in their way. She looked how Foxy Cleopatra would look like if she became a Valkyrie and then put scrubs on. Jack hoped that Sierra would never catch him gawping at any girl the way he looked at that nurse because that woman was what dreams are made of. And then she opened her beautiful lips, spoke and ruined the dreamy impression.

"Oh, and where do you think you're going, boys?" She asked in a tone that would put any dungeon guard into shame.

"In." Megatron responded in futile attempt at intimidating the nurse.

"Mhmmm… No you ain't." She said unimpressed. "This is operation room and you two are not scrubbed."

"What?" Megatron's optics grew large. "I am the sire!"

"You can be the Pope, you ain't going in." The nurse staid firm.

"I am the Medic." Knockout stepped in. The nurse measured him with a cold stare. He flashed his best 'I'm sexy and I know it' smile at her.

"You can go, but scrub before you get to the OP." Nurse decided to allow the Decepticon Doctor in. "What is this?" She pointed at the incubator.

"It's an incubator for the bitlet." Knockout explained. "And before you will ask, it is sterile."

"You may go." The nurse held the door for the Medic as he rolled the portable incubator in and followed him closely.

"What happened?" Megatron turned to Jack. All the young man told him that something was not right with June and to 'bring the tank'. There was no time for any explanations.

"I was about to leave when something started to happen." Jack said in flat voice. "They just took mum to the OR. You know just as much as I do."

Megatron sighed. He hated to be uninformed but he preferred the doctors to focus on June than wasting time on explaining human medicine to him.

At that exact moment Miko came running as if the hell was on her heels. She was carrying large bag – it looked like she managed to step home before she came.

"How come you get here so fast?" Jack asked in shock. He called her and heard the teacher scolding her for using her phone while in detention before she hung out.

"It took me a moment to argue with the teacher, he's new but I got to the principle and he excused me. So I called for the 'Bridge home and then got 'Bridged here." Miko explained while trying to catch a breath. "Ratchet's in the parking lot."

"Knockout's on the OR." Jack pointed at the door.

"You think Dock-Knock can do it?" Miko looked up at Jack with a bit of doubt.

"Knockout is competent doctor despite being egomaniacal." Megatron decided to cut in.

"I wish his competences wouldn't have to be stress-tested." Jack rubbed his forehead.

"They're stress-tested every day." Megatron replied staring at the door as if it offended him.

oOo

It felt like eternity have passed before the Doctor left the OR and walked out to them. She was wearing scrubs and a _Hello Kitty_ 2) surgical cap and looked pretty tired. The moment she showed herself they were at her, Jack and Miko asking questions simultaneously.

"Enough." Megatron laid his massive servos on Jack's shoulder and Miko's head. As heavy as the gesture seemed it was extremely light – he didn't want to damage any of them, it was enough that June required medical aid – but it was enough for them to fell silent. "Doctor?"

"It was just as I suspected it to be. June's body decided that enough's enough and that's about time to wrap this pregnancy business up." She said in tired voice. "We decided to perform caesarean section because of June's elevated BP and we weren't sure how the delivery would end with the baby being what it is and the state it is in." She continued. "June is relatively fine now, there was no complication and the surgery went textbook smooth but we had to put her under which is standard practice in unplanned C-sections. She will awake after the anaesthetics will wear off, which may take some time."

Both Megatron and Jack seemed to finally release the air they were holding in.

"What with the baby?" Miko asked. Now that she knew that June will be all right she was ready to hear about the baby. Next to her Megatron and Jack held their respective breath and vent again.

"Doctor Knockout is tending to the baby. It shouldn't take him long. He will tell you more; I don't feel competent enough to talk about bio-technology." She said. "Now if you will excuse me."

"Naturally Doctor." Megatron nodded to the Doctor and she left.

oOo

A long moment later Knockout finally marched out of the door pushing the 'rocket powered fish tank' filled with yellow, oily liquid. Inside floated an orb of the size of a very large grapefruit or a small honey melon.

The orb was surrounded by ribbons or tendrils of silvery metal that looked almost as if it was liquid. On top and on bottom of the orb sat the same silvery metal. The orb was marked with a fine, dainty web of red bio-lights that spread and marked the silvery metal as well. In front of the orb was circular opening sealed with what seemed like crystal glass, inside a blue light shone like a tiny star.

The Decepticon Medic looked rather well though he was still wrapped in thin surgical paper scrub that was tied behind his back.

The moment the Decepticon Doctor stopped all three surrounded the incubation tank and observed its occupant. Megatron crouched next to it, observing its tiny occupant.

"It doesn't look much like a baby." Miko eyed the orb and then refocused on Knockout.

"In this stage of bitlet's development it is absolutely normal look." Knockout smirked with confidence.

"What are these tendrils?" Jack pointed at the silvery ribbons of metal floating around the bitlet.

"These are the protrusions that were attached to circuitry imbedded into your carrier's gestation organ3). It is only natural; it would be exactly the same with a Cybertronian carrier's gestation chamber." Knockout explained.

"Wha… What?" Jack asked in shocked, weak voice. This was not what he expected. Not even close.

"Relax; apparently it's the same with organics producing techno-organic offspring." Knockout said lightly. "I've seen it and believe me I never want to see any organic gestation organs again, but the circuitry is harmless and won't cause your carrier any problems in the future. Literature says that in such cases it is completely natural."

"This one doesn't look very techno-organic." Miko pointed at the bitlet.

"It is, I've taken it out of an organic carrier so trust me it is techno-organic. It's just too early to show." Knockout shrugged.

"Why it is blinking its bio-lights like that?" Jack rested his palms against the glass container.

"At this moment and in this stage of development it is equivalent of your organic foetus wriggling its underdeveloped limbs." The Medic explained, he was happy that he did spent some time preparing himself for such questions.

"Will it be all right?" Miko suddenly asked the question that everyone dreaded to ask.

"It looks fine now but anything can yet happen." Knockout could only tell the truth. It really was very early and while the bitlet had well developed spark chamber (though still very small and delicate – it would grow in both size and wall thickness) many things could still happen.

"Knockout." Megatron suddenly rose to his pedes. "Take the bitlet to Nemesis and secure it in fully equipped and functional tank." He ordered.

"Yes Lord Megatron." Knockout jumped into attention and hurried away. It would not be wise to test Megatron's patience right now… not that it was wise to test it at any other time either.

oOo

 _The hospital. Next morning._

Megatron sat awkwardly on human sized chair next to June's bed. The room wasn't large, in fact it was rather small, but it was solitary and it gave them some much appreciated privacy. It was probably more important to June than to him – he could scare people away so they wouldn't make eyes at him, but June looked downright maltreated. She told him that it was normal in such situation because the surgery is always tasking for the body and waking from the anaesthesia is never pleasant thing. Megatron nodded and he understood it perfectly because he himself was under surgery way too many times. Though he also realised that for an organic it was slightly different experience because they has slower rate of healing and unlike welds their sutures did not closed immediately but the tissues had to grow back together (which he was explained in energon chilling detail by the Doctor before he entered June's room).

"You haven't told me about the baby." June asked resting her head on the pillow.

"It is secured on Nemesis." He answered trying to remove descriptions of cell multiplication from his memory.

"How is it doing? Is it healthy?" June furrowed her brows; she didn't like how she had to pry all the information from Megatron. It seemed like there was something he was hiding from her and it worried her.

"It survived the delivery and transportation to Nemesis." Megatron focused on June. "When I left it was still functioning and Knockout was preparing to examine it fully."

Before June could voice her worry over the fact that her baby would be poked and probed at such vulnerable state, the door opened and Jack entered. He looked tired but he smiled.

"Hi mum, how do you feel?" He asked the moment the door closed behind him.

"Jack." June smiled faintly at her son. "I'm getting enough painkillers to drug an elephant and I'm aching all over. C-sections suck just as much as natural childbirth."

"Awww, mum!" Jack whined. He wasn't prepared to hear such things from his own mother.

"Calm now, Jack, this is not the best time to wine." Megatron silenced the young man. The way he saw it Jack was healthy and shouldn't bother his post-surgery mother about such things as being shy.

"I'm not whining. There are simply things that a man should never hear from his own mother." Jack decided to stand his ground.

"Jack, you're old enough to know where children come from and we're living in XXIst century so anatomy, medicine and childbirth are not taboo anymore." June sighed. "And no one gives you any unwanted details. All I'm saying is that being cut in half sucks."

"Please, don't force my imagination to show me how it would look." Jack winced. "I can handle anyone's guts, but not yours, you're my mother."

"Fair enough." June nodded. She could relate to that, she wouldn't want to see Jack on an operating table either. "I was pestering Megatron about the baby. Have you seen it?"

"Yeah. Yesterday when Dock-Knock rolled it out in that tank." Jack came closer; now that the subject has been changed he felt less like fleeing from the room to avoid awkward conversation. "It looked like a metallic sphere but slightly oblong, a bit like an egg. And it seemed well; it was blinking its bio-lights and stuff."

June blinked and gave questioning look to Megatron.

"According to Knockout it is normal at this stage, the bitlet has neither developed optics nor limbs yet, so blinking its bio-lights means that it is awake and processing stimuli, mainly the EM fields." Megatron repeated what he heard from Nemesis' resident medic. "It is equivalent of wriggling limbs."

"That's good, right?" Jack questioned.

"You would have to ask Knockout. Or Ratchet." Megatron said seriously. "It certainly isn't a bad thing - that much I know."

"And to think you were like that too, at some point." June smirked. She often wondered how Megatron looked as a sparkling but he said that he had no images of himself in his sparklinghood and that having such images was a rare thing in lower castes.

"Everyone was, at least to some degree." Megatron shrugged. "June. I want to talk with you about something. It is very important." He turned deadly serious. "Jack, could you excuse us?"

June's eyes widened. Million things came to her mind in one second.

"If it's so important, I'd rather stay." Jack crossed his arms.

"I should like you to not." Megatron insisted and turned to June. "It is about the bitlet." He said hurriedly upon seeing her anxious face. "There are things, decisions we need to make together, just in case."

"Jack. Leave us please." June told her son.

oOo

 _Nemesis, an hour later._

The infirmary was almost empty and pleasantly quiet when the door opened and Megatron stalked inside with a retinue in form of Shockwave, Starscream and Soundwave following him closely. Their sudden but not unexpected arrival caught Knockout reading something on a tablet. None of his nurses was in sight.

Megatron marched to the incubation tank without a word, reason for his presence obvious. His little flock stayed in place while he bent to observe tint bitlet floating inside of large, vertical glass tube. He gently laid his left servo on the glass of the tank. The bitlet seemed almost microscopic within Cybertronian sized tank, all sorts of tubes and cables were connected to its tiny, oval form making it look even smaller and more fragile.

"Will it survive?" Starscream decided that he wasn't in a mood to wait for Megatron to make up his mind and finally ask.

"I will say it again; it is too early to tell." Knockout sighed, he already said that to Megatron at least twice before, not to mention when he said it to Miko the day before. "Though I must admit that it is surprisingly strung for a bitlet separated from carrier so prematurely."

"Does it have any traces of Dark Energon inside its systems?" Shockwave asked the one question that everyone knew had to be asked but no one had courage to, including Megatron.

"No. No Dark Energon." Knockout answered and observed as Megatron almost visibly relaxed. "And by the way, it is a she."

"Don't be ridiculous." Starscream huffed. "Cybertronians do not have predetermined gender, you should know that much, doctor."

"Techno-organics do if their organic parent's species has predetermined sex." Knockout replied with superior smirk. "And humans all start physically as females until some of them transform into males according to their sensitivity to testosterone coded by their DNA."

"And how can you be sure if this one shows no physical traces?" Starscream gestured to the tank.

"I ran CNA scan and it indicated a femme." Knockout said without going into details of how human DNA codes their sex4).

That in turn made Starscream to pull a quizzical face as he eyed the tank with the bitlet inside. This was interesting indeed. Before he could start plotting Megatron straightened suddenly, causing the bitlet to blink and flash its bio-light vigorously in response to EM field fluctuations.

"Don't even think about including my daughter into any of your half-witted schemes." Megatron warned the Air Commander. "That's a warning, Starscream!" He said but it sounded more like a threat.

The Vosian almost jumped but bowed his head obediently making a mental note to himself to work on his mimic as he seemed too easy to read.

"And so it would be clear. Should anything happen to me, Shockwave is to act as a Regent until my daughter is ready to assume my place while Soundwave will represent her in both Conclave and High Council. Should anything happen to June as well, Soundwave will have full legal custody over my daughter and heir." Megatron announced.

"But Master…" Starscream uttered lowering his wings. "A techno-organic heir to your throne?" That earned him cold glare from the Decepticon Tyrant.

"If she won't survive then she will not be heir to anything and nothing can be done about it." Megatron stated. "And if she will survive the whole premature separation ordeal then she will prove that she is indeed worthy of being my heir."

The tone of his voice indicated that it was final and that there would be no discussion about it. Without speaking anything else he directed himself to the door. Shockwave and Soundwave followed loyally, before leaving Soundwave turned to give a 'blank' stare to Starscream who stayed behind.

The moment the door closed behind them Starscream's wing went back to their normal position and the Seeker growled angrily. "Two-wheelers, eight-leggers and techno-organics! And all of them femmes!"

Knockout gave him an annoyed glare. "Don't look at me. I've done things and seen sights that no mech should ever be forced to do and see, to get this one to this tank. And that is some tremendous sacrifice so I want nothing to do with your schemes."

"But a femme… this opens new possibilities…" Starscream ignored the doctor and rubbed his chin and glared at the bitlet.

That annoyed the Aston Martin even more. "I said I do not want to have anything to do with your schemes, so unless you're in need of a medic, leave."

oOo

 _Outside of the Infirmary._

Shockwave departed the moment they left the Infirmary but Soundwave followed Megatron until they left the corridor leading directly to the Infirmary. He knew Megatron well enough to know that it wasn't the end of the issue and he wasn't wrong. The moment they reached a rarely used corridor the Decepticon Warmonger suddenly halted and turned to his trusted TIC.

"I want you to monitor the Infirmary." Megatron spoke silently. "I do not want Starscream to scheme around my bitlet."

Soundwave nodded once. That much was obvious, no one would want Starscream to plot around their anything, much less their bitlet.

"I have discussed it with June and she agreed so that it will be you who will have the full legal custody over my bitlet should anything happened to us both, just like I said before. I don't want Shockwave to have all the control." He furrowed his opticbrows. He knew he was asking a lot from the mech. This wasn't an order and he knew that Soundwave knew it.

The silent mech only cocked his head in voiceless question: why me?

"Because I know that you will not fail me." Megatron admitted. "If anything would happen to me I know you can protect June and my sparkling from Starscream or anyone else's scheming."

Soundwave nodded a single 'yes', he understood and agreed.

Megatron's opticbrows relaxed and the mech smirked. "According to what June said, this makes you 'Uncle Soundwave'."

Soundwave gave Megatron what passed as his version of curious look and then shrugged as if to say 'fine by me' or 'so be it'.

oOo

 _April 19_ _th_ _. Geostationary orbit._

Astrotrain was hard at work… or at least what passed as hard at work for him at the moment, but mainly he enjoyed peace and quiet of the open space. Blitzwing was called back to Nemesis for something and no replacement was sent to Astrotrain, which he actually was happy for.

He was busy observing Earth's surface, it could pass as an easy job except it meant that he had to use heavy zoom in his optics. Normally using it for prolonged periods of time meant putting some considerable strain on one's optics but certain frames had it easier. Astrotrain was a triplechanger with one of his alt-modes being a space craft and that in turn meant that he was equipped with the type of optic lenses that were adapted for prolonged zooms.

Sudden lack of crazy partner made his work much more enjoyable and easier. He just had to stare and let his mind wander aimlessly, or sometimes log to some Decepticon chat rooms or social networks for a bit of mechly gossiping (not that he would ever call it that – he was merely exchanging information).

Right now he was making eyes at the ground and simultaneously receiving some signals from one of Earthlings' satellites. The transmission was some sort of sport event, nothing unusual; humans had plenty of these things. He scanned the wider area in search for any human activity in deserted areas, not that he had any hope to spot anything else than some animals doing their business… And then he saw some movement. It seemed a bit too intense for pair of fornicating coyotes. Perhaps it was some teenage humans having some sort of a desert party or perhaps it was some shady biker gang rally, these things happened every now and then but he had to check out for sure every time. This standard procedure allowed him to witness couple of bunches of drunken young people doing incredibly stupid things (including one case of rattlesnake bite being curing attempt by electroshocks provided with the help of two fellow humans and one car battery5) to merriment of the rest of the pack of humans), two drug deals (he was instructed to send anonymous message to authorities) and three motorbike rallies combined with epic alcohols consumption combined with fornication and fights.

The moment he zoomed enough to see some more details he knew it was not the case of anything he recently witnessed. He immediately contacted Soundwave.

oOo

 _Earth's surface, New Mexico, at the same time._

Silia was observing as group of military MECH technicians inserting a long string of coils wrapped around a rod mounted on a solid looking tripod into ground mounted sockets. The sockets were in fact just empty pipes but it sounded better in the report so she didn't argued about what it really was. Two 'civilian' MECH scientists were tinkering with massive battery, bundle of electric cables, switched, power boxed and a computer. It looked pretty chaotic at the moment.

"Hurry up." Silia looked at her wrist watch. "When I left the receiver site Hercules was finishing."

The scientists said nothing; instead they began to struggle with untangling the cables.

TBC.

1) The chorus is exceptionally fitting for this chapter.

2) Yes, because she can.

3) He means uterus.

4) You know, the 22 two pairs of identic chromosomes and one pair of sex chromosomes (heterochromosomes) though in women all chromosomes are identic and only in a male the sex chromosomes are heterochromosomes – you can tell that it was a male who named it all.

Women have XX sex chromosomes and men have XY sex chromosomes – which you probably already know anyway. Y chromosome is like X chromosome but it lacks one "leg", is tiny and contains fewer genes than X chromosome (which is only natural since it lacks one "leg"). What it means to men and women is fascinating subject but there's no time or space for it here. Let's just say that it means a lot of ups and downs for both sexes, especially when it comes to diseases because both sexes are vulnerable to different diseases due to the fact that they either have no back-up for their only X chromosome (men) or have one of the two X chromosome active randomly in their cells (women).

5) It is worth to note that there was a rumour that electricity could cure rattlesnake bite (rattlesnakes are poisonous mind you) and it was tested often enough to earn a scientific paper about ineffectiveness of such treatment that in turn managed to earn an Ig-Nobel Prize! The paper's title was: _"Failure of Electric Shock Treatment for Rattlesnake Envenomation"_ , written by Drs R. C. Dart and R. A. Gustafson.


	15. Woman of the Earth

**Sugar.**

" _There's sugar on your soul_

 _You're like no one I know_

 _You're the life of another world_

 _You swallow me whole_

 _With just a mumbled hello_

 _And it breaks my heart to love you,_

 _It breaks my heart to love you_ _"_ – Editors _"Sugar"._

 **Warnings** : Violence, explicit language, controversial subjects.

Timing: Post season 2 finale, in my very own Beauty of the Beast Prime timeline.

Rating: M (possibly even MA).

Pairings: multiple.

Disclaimer: Transformers Prime © Hasbro. Story's plot and OC's © me. There may be some OC's that aren't mine – they belong to their respective creators.

 **Woman of the Earth.**

" _Oh desert speak to my heart_

 _Oh_ _ **woman of the earth**_

 _Maker of children who weep for love_

 _Maker of this birth_

 _'til your deepest secrets are known to me_

 _I will not be moved_

 _I will not be moved_

 _(…)_

 _Run to the water_

 _And find me there_

 _Burnt to the core but not broken_

 _We'll cut through the madness_

 _Of these streets below the moon_

 _These streets below the moon (…)"_ _–_ Live _"Run to the Water"_

oOo

 _April 20_ _th_ _. Fowler's house._

Fowler was enjoying dinner on the back porch with his wife. It was nice, spring Sunday, the food was great and the day was calm and quiet. It was one of the few, precious moments when he didn't think of his duties, of all the threats and dangers that loomed just behind the horizon, ready to jump at any given moment. It was rare time of being carefree and not worrying about anything.

And then his cell phone rang. At that moment it seemed like the most rabid sound in the universe.

"Have you forgotten to turn it off for today?" Mrs Fowler asked with concern.

"No, it's charging." Fowler put his fork down. "And it always turns itself on while on charger." He stood up. "I should've leaved it dead until the evening."

"You are not going to answer it, do you?" His wife asked with irritation.

"I'd better do." He replied with resignation. "If they managed to get the connection they won't quit. They will call until I answer." He explained. "I'll make it quick, I promise."

He hurried to the living room and picked up his phone. The ID made him chew on few choice words.

"What is it Prime?" He asked instantly after answering it. "By Washington's wig! New Mexico? Did they do anything?" He almost jumped. "Good, tell them to keep watching it! Yes, I will make sure General knows… in a moment." He ducked his head and lowered his voice in case his wife could hear him. "Yes, my wife is not pleased when I am being called on Sundays… Yes, I will handle it." He disconnected and quickly dialled General Brice, who also answered pretty fast and wasn't pleased either. "General, the 'Cons discovered possible MECH activity in New Mexico… No, we do not know what… Yes General… you too? I recommended further observation. Yes. Good bye sir."

Only now he put the phone back down and left the room.

oOo

 _New Mexico at the same time._

Silia supervised the last adjustments of the devices. All was ready for the tests and now they had to just check the integrity of connections and cables, double-check all systems and prepare the settings for tomorrow's big trial.

oOo

 _Area 51, the hospital, June's room._

A nurse knocked gently on June's door and smiled upon seeing that the woman was awake.

"You have a guest." She said and allowed Megatron in. She saw the Decepticon once or twice before so she wasn't shocked by his presence any more.

Megatron waited until the nurse closed the door and walked to June's bed. She was still looking pale but it was still improvement from what she used to look like. He didn't like it but he understood that it was to be expected.

"You are still pale." He noticed and looked around for something to sit on. "Do they give you proper treatment?"

"Of course they do." June smiled. "Sit here." She patted the side of her bed, perhaps it would not break under his weight. "They plan to release me this Tuesday or Wednesday, when they're sure that the cut is healing properly." She explained.

"Are you in pain?"

"No, at least not when I'm sitting. I still can't straighten myself fully though." She admitted. "It should be better soon but the scar will remain, you may not like the look of it."

"Nonsense." Megatron smirked. "I adore every part of you, any and all scars included." He purred suggestively.

"Hold your horses. I'm not healed enough for that."

"But you will be." Megatron leaned closer. "And then scar or no scar, you will succumb to my might." He kissed her softly.

"Is that a promise?" She grinned, at the moment she wanted to be healed already.

"A vow." He pulled back and turned serious. "But we will have to be careful from now on. With the circuitry embedded into your womb it will be much easier to get you sparked now. And there is no way I want to put you through all of this again."

"Speaking of which." June turned serious. "How is the baby?"

"It still lives and Knockout claims it is a femme." He replied. "He says that each passing day without complications makes it stronger."

"Then we should pick a name." June decided and Megatron blinked in surprise.

He didn't expect to hear that. He knew that June would be happy to hear that their offspring lived still; she made it perfectly clear how much she wanted this bitlet. But the idea of naming it already came as a surprise.

"It may be too early still." He finally replied.

"No, whatever happens I want her to have a name." June insisted. "To be a person."

"I see. Do you have something in mind?" He did understand but he also knew that if anything happened it would be so much tougher to bear: a name was not only a way to address someone but also part of their persona. A name bound someone to reality so much more.

"How about 'Jane'?" She proposed.

"What's with you and names starting with 'J'?" He asked. It was peculiar how everyone in her family that he heard of had a J-name.

"It's a family tradition." She shrugged.

"You already have a son with J-name." He pointed out.

"All right. Do you want to start a new tradition?"

"What do you mean?" Megatron blinked in confusion.

"Using different letter." She explained.

"And what letter would it be?" He questioned.

"What was your carrier's name?"

"She didn't have one." Megatron sighed recalling the constant reminder on inequality in Cybertronian society in so called Golden Age. "She was given the S-16 serial number as her designation." He revealed. "My Sire and few closest friends called her Sigma."

"So, 'S' it is then." June decided. "How about 'Sara'1)?"

"That's a human name." Megatron observed somewhat shocked.

"Yes." June confirmed with confusion, she wasn't sure why Megatron was so perplexed with the name. "Is there something wrong with it?"

"As far as I can tell, there is nothing wrong with it. Except it doesn't exactly fit for a Decepticon to have such a tiny, gentle sounding name."

"It may sound gracefully but there is nothing tiny about it." June disagreed. "It is an old, biblical name. It means 'a woman of high stance' or shortly 'a princess'." She explained. "This was my paternal grandmother's name." She added.

"Like I said, it is perfectly acceptable and with that meaning it is most suitable name for my heiress. But our bitlet needs a Cybertronian designation still, if she is to be accepted by entire faction."

"Okay then, tell me, is it appropriate to name one Cybertronian after another?" June asked.

"It is not a common practice but it is not a taboo either." Megatron admitted. "It certainly is not forbidden. I, myself, chosen a designation after Megatronus Prime after all."

"Then it is easy. Sara can be called Sigma by your faction. Problem solved.

Megatron fell silent for a moment again, still unsure of what to think of this. When he took his name he was already an adult and matures enough to make a conscious decision. But choosing to name a bitlet after someone was another thing, what if the sparkling wouldn't like their designation? What if it didn't fit them? And then again, in this case it was clear that his offspring was a femme so at least the name would be of the right gender. And still, she might not like the idea of being named after someone whom she never met. But on the other servo, she could always change her designation if she chose so. He did.

"Sigma it is then." He agreed. "But she might not like it." He decided to voice his doubts.

"It happens with kids." June sighed. "One day we will simply tell Sara where her names come from; make her proud of having them."

"Don't make such plans yet." Megatron warned. "She might not survive long enough to leave the incubation tank, let alone reach age where she can be told about her names."

"I don't want you to say such things." June protested. "Don't even think like that. Is that understood?"

"Yes ma'am." Megatron managed not to smirk. June was indeed returning to her health if her strong personality was already showing.

TBC.

To Kaleia:

As you can see, I did the naming (as planned), but the bitlet is not out of the danger yet – she is still very small and vulnerable and anything can happen.

Yes, Starscream is scheming, that's part of his nature, that's why we love him so much (imagine not scheming Screamer, that would be absurd).

No, Soundwave is not a Godfather – Godfathers are a Christian thing and Cybertronians are not Christians (not Autobots and neither Decepticons) there probably isn't even a word for "Godfather" in Cybertronian, perhaps that's why Megatron said that June called him "uncle" (remember there is no such thing as extended family on Cybertron, there are parents and offspring, other relatives are not considered an actual family, just people related to the parents but not to the offspring, the exception is Vosian society – at least in my stories). He is an Appointed Legal Custodian. It would be probably expected for him to adopt Sigma/Sara if something would happen to June and Megatron, in which case Sigma would still be heir of Megatron as her biological sire but Soundwave would have all the privileges and duties of a sire.

But if Sara/Sigma would have a 'Godmother" or aunt, it'd be Miko. Yes! Miko, because if she has a calm and composed "uncle" she needs a crazy "aunt" (plus Sigma/Sara's sire and "uncle" are Decepticons, then with her mother being a human the "aunt" should be a human too). Plus Miko would probably be approved by Megatron – if the "aunt has to be a human allied with Autobots then at least it should be the human Wrecker.

1) Sounds familiar to another technoorganic femme that you know of? One with piggy tails? *wink, wink, wink*

Obviously Sara is not her, but I wanted to make homage to TF: Animated.


	16. Dimension

**Sugar.**

" _There's sugar on your soul_

 _You're like no one I know_

 _You're the life of another world_

 _You swallow me whole_

 _With just a mumbled hello_

 _And it breaks my heart to love you,_

 _It breaks my heart to love you_ _"_ – Editors _"Sugar"._

 **Warnings** : Violence, explicit language, controversial subjects.

Timing: Post season 2 finale, in my very own Beauty of the Beast Prime timeline.

Rating: M (possibly even MA).

Pairings: multiple.

Disclaimer: Transformers Prime © Hasbro. Story's plot and OC's © me. There may be some OC's that aren't mine – they belong to their respective creators.

 **Dimension.**

" _I fell down in the desert, baby, yeah_

 _Well, I had nothing but a piece of paper, oh yeah_

 _I had to write something down_

 _And I found myself alone_

 _Then I let go of everything into another dimension_

 _The purple haze is in the sky_

 _See the angel's wicked eye_

 _All these things we must try_

 _Until we see the reasons why, oh yeah_

 _Lightning crash on the hill tonight, yeah_

 _And I got a feeling everything is gonna be alright_

 _Then a horse came running to me_

 _Said, we're gonna go to the sanctuary_

 _Then a storm began to blow into another dimension (…)"_ _–_ Wolfmother _"Dimension"_

oOo

 _April 21_ _st_ _. New Mexico. Early Morning._

The rising sun was painting everything pink, the clouds were darker sports of slowly brightening skies but the temperatures were still low. Deserts at night tend to be surprisingly cold even if during the day the temperatures are scourging. At this time of year it wasn't as hot during the day, but the nights were cold.

Silia and her scientists were clothed accordingly to the temperature but even if they weren't – at least when it came to the scientists – they wouldn't get cold. They were busy running the final check-ups of the connections, making sure that all systems were on and that all equipment would work as supposed.

Finally the head scientists of the Transmitter Team approached Silia with pleased but calm expression of someone who knows that they did well and now are to inform their superior about it.

"All systems are on-line, waiting for your order." He spoke. "The Receiver Team has an unloaded battery for their radio; they cannot use it unless the battery will be loaded. They have it plugged into their receiver. We will fire the transmitter and wait. If the trial was successful their battery will be loaded and they will be able to use their radio, if not – be it because their battery did not charge, or it overcharged – they will simply call us by the phone."

"Splendid. How much time before they will be ready?" Silia asked. They were ready now but it would all be futile if the Receiver Team would not be able to intercept the discharge.

"Hercules texted me ten minutes ago that they are ready whenever we are." The scientists proudly informed his commander.

"Good. Fire it then." Silia nodded. If everyone was ready then there was no reason for delays.

The scientist only smirked and hiked back to the machine.

oOo

 _Autobot Base Omega – 3, the same time._

The Autobots were receiving the last moment briefing from Optimus and Fowler. They were informed about what Astrotrain has found, but it wouldn't hurt to remind them – especially those more hot headed – what they were dealing with and… and to be sure that Miko wasn't anywhere near or, for that matter, not in anyone's passenger compartment.

oOo

 _Nemesis._

The team was assembled the moment Megatron received call from the Prime, informing him that they were preparing an action against the MECH in the early morning. Megatron wasn't thrilled, preferring to attack straight away but was persuaded that the more ungodly the hour the better chance to catch them unaware.

At the moment Starscream – oh irony – was debriefing the attack team about the MECH.

oOo

 _New Mexico, the Receiver site._

The team of scientists was gathered behind safety screens that separated them from the receiver. The device itself looked pretty much like satellite dish made of copper coils, or perhaps like military radar aerial. The device was connected to several cables.

No one moved for a long moment, then a quiet, crackling sound and then immediately a blighting light of the electric charge hitting the receiver. It was majestic. It was amazing. Everything became engulfed in pure white light. And then a mere second later the deafening roar came when the sound finally managed to catch up with the light.

It lasted but a short moment but it was enough. Primitive looking measurement instruments went wild – they had to be simple and resilient to survive being hit by an artificial lightning - their readouts instantly written down.

oOo

 _New Mexico, the Transmitter site._

They stood around the radio station in waiting; some of the scientists still had their protective goggles on. Someone was tapping their book against the ground hard enough for it to be audible. A minute passed and Silia was ready to reach for her phone but then the signal came.

[[Transmitter Site, this is the Receiver, over!]] The sound was riddled with static but it was clear enough.

Silia reached for the microphone.

"Receiver Site, this is Transmitter, we hear you." She replied.

[[Apologies for poor quality, Transmitter. The battery is half full, some of the discharge managed to ground.]] The voice informed. [[We need wider aerial.]]

"Still it is a success." Silia barely smiled. "Consider this a success. Dismantle the equipment and clear the area. We meet at the rendezvous point."

[[Copy that, Receiver, over and out.]]

"You've heard it. Pack the equipment and we're out of here." Silia turned to the MECH soldiers and scientists. "Now we only have to perfect it and then find some good use for it." She added to Moriarty and the chief scientist of the Transmitter Team.

"We will without a problem." Moriarty smiled. "If nothing else we can patent it and have a financing source of it."

"Or, if we give it some time and work, we can indeed use it to instantly power our plasma cannons, like you said during evaluation." The scientist added.

oOo

 _The Autobot Base Omega – 3._

Ratchet activated the Groundbridge and the vortex of brilliant light exploded into existence. The Autobot strike team assembled for this very occasion turned to the wormhole waiting for their leader to give the order.

Optimus Prime looked at his soldiers seriously. The strike team stood at readiness, the back-up team was ready, if disappointed to not be in the main team, in case their assistance was necessary.

"Autobots!" The Prime addressed his team. "Transform and roll out!" He gave the iconic order and transformed.

Arcee, Bulkhead, Wheeljack, Smokescreen and Hot Rod transformed in one moment and immediately followed their Prime.

oOo

 _Nemesis._

On Nemesis' hangar Megatron narrowed his optics at his own strike team. He and Optimus Prime agreed to produce teams of six soldiers, themselves included. And that was what he did, he also made sure to have a back-up in case of something unexpected. He didn't know if the Prime did so as well, but he suspected that he did.

"Soundwave, activate the Groundbridge." He turned to his trusted Third in Command.

Soundwave only nodded and immediately a whirl of colourful light appeared in thin air.

"Decepticons, you know our objective." He said turning to the 'bridge. "Transform and rise up!" He ordered and not waiting for his troops to follow, he shifted into his alt-mode and flew straight into the event horizon.

His troops didn't make him waiting, Starscream and Skywarp flew right behind him and Barricade, Motormaster and Shockwave rolled not far behind.

oOo

 _New Mexico. One of the MECH experiment sites._

Two bright clouds of light formed into whirlpools of bright colours and spat out two teams of Cybertronians. The distance between them was great enough for the team members not to crash against each other, yet it was close enough for them to have to stop abruptly.

After short disorientation they transformed into their robot modes and looked around. Something wasn't right. They were supposed to crash into MECH scientists, hopefully not armed ones, but instead they almost crashed at each other.

"What the PIT!" Barricade was the first to comment the situation. "This dirt pit should crawl with the skinjobs!" He reached for his and hailed Nemesis. "Astrotrain, you blockhead! You were supposed to give 'Wave the co-ords to the MECH!"

"Maybe it was Soundy who messed up?" Skywarp cackled after he landed on his feel in the middle of the group.

CLONK

"If it was Soundwave who erred then how come Autobots are here too?" Motormaster plonked the Seeker up his head. That in turn met with Starscream protest.

"Watch it, you git, only I can do that." He hovered above the truck-former.

"What's this?" Arcee pointed at four pipes barely sticking from the ground. "Looks like there was something here."

"Looks like someone wanted to have easy to install and uninstall but fixed in place construction." Wheeljack crouched next to the pipes. "You dig some pipes into the ground and then place the tripod or whatever other stand you have into the pipes." He looked at the rest. "When you need to bail out you just pull your stuff out and puff!" He gestured. "You're out. We used it all the time back in our Wreckin' times."

"Great, then we just ruined any marks." Barricade looked at the ground. The dirt was now marked with their own tracks.

"Not necessarily." Shockwave pointed at a point not far from them. "It seems that there are fresh tyre marks here, leading North-East."

"I'm on it!" Smokescreen peeped and transformed.

"Wait for me!" Hot Rod drove away after his newest best friend.

Barricade gave everyone tired 'never leave kids alone' look and followed the two hot heads without a word.

"So it seems that we are slightly late." Megatron gave Optimus meaningful look.

"I know you have proposed to act faster." The Prime said flatly. "It would not give us any guarantee that we would catch them either."

"It would give us a better chance." Megatron insisted. Optimus wanted to reply but he was interrupted.

There was a loud knocking coming from Skywarp's cockpit glass. The Vosian blinked and opened his cockpit, releasing two casseticons. Both landed on their afts at his feet as the glass of Skywarp's windscreen opened downwards.

"Y'know, if I knew I'd fall, I'd lay down!" Frenzy got up rubbing his rear. "Damn it, 'Warp, couldn't you at least give us some warning?"

"Yeah!" Rumble whined in agreement.

"Does Soundwave know you're here?" Starscream asked in reply and landed lightly next to his younger brother.

"Erp…" Rumble ducked his head.

"Well, at least now I know that our trouble with Miko is not sole case." Bulkhead muttered to Wheeljack.

"Hush, you'll jinx it." Came the reply.

Three sets of screaming tyres instantly changed the subject. Smokescreen, Hot Rod and Barricade returned, and they weren't in a good mood.

"The marks end at the road." Smokescreen exclaimed.

"They don't continue on the other side, so they took the road." Hot Rod added. "They must've just drive in whichever direction."

"What they say." Barricade confirmed. "There's a crossroad three clicks1) away so we can't even guess which direction they took. We've lost them."

"Again, it would seem." Shockwave's antennae moved up and into rigid-looking position, indication that he was tense and not pleased.

"Whatever they were up to, they either failed of succeeded." Optimus summed up. "We will hear of them yet regardless of the outcome."

"I suppose we will." Megatron agreed.

The failure had a bitter taste.

oOo

 _Somewhere in New Mexico._

Moriarty was driving away from the site of their experiment, next to him in the passenger seat Silia was enjoying fresh spring morning. They had a long way to the rendezvous point, but it looked like their operation was running smooth. Soon, very soon they would be unquestioned leader in underground experimental weaponry development which meant more power and influence. Soon they'd be able to re-shape the societies and the world as they pleased.

TBC.

To Nighty: The key to understanding why June's body didn't reject the circuitry is that the circuitry is not organic, it is fully non-biological. Human body rejects transplants because they're organic and the immune system identifies them as strange, invading tissue. The body doesn't reject non-organic implants such as artificial hips or surgical screws used to mending difficult body fractures, skull plates and all the other kinds of metallic, ceramic or polymer materials because such materials do not have DNA that comes from another person (with the strange antibodies).

The circuitry, while having CNA of Sigma/Sara is not regarded by June's body as strange tissue because her immune system doesn't recognise it as such – it is not organic and it doesn't behave like biological tissue, instead it behaves more like non-organic implant.

There is another thing about the circuitry – it is basically equivalent of placenta, only one that doesn't die out but stays with the carrier (or in this case mother) to minimise biological/technological cost in case of future gestations (in this case pregnancies), it doesn't know that June and Megatron don't plan any more kinds, it stays because that's how it would behave if June was Cybertronian.

Mother's body doesn't reject the placenta nor the foetus despite the fact that they're genetically different organisms (invading in a way) due to the fact that we have an entire virus in our DNA – such viruses are called polydnaviruses and the one I'm writing about is called ERV-3 encoded within our own DNA whole (yes, whole, 100% of its own genes, in symbiosis with us), that virus is why we can have babies in good old fashioned mammalian style: it prevents a mother's body to reject the foetus. The foetus is separate organism and for the mother's own immune system it literally reeks of "foreign" tissue, the proteins coded thanks to ERV-3 prevent the mother's immune system to simply kill the "foreign tissue" off. Yes, we're pirating a virus protein to procreate (while ignoring the virus' tiny whine about copyrights). In case that this mechanism fails the pregnancy ends with miscarriage (often without mother even noticing she was pregnant – immune system is not justice system, it acts fast). Ironically, the only threat for pregnancy (and pregnant woman) that June didn't have to fear of was serological conflict that the ERV-3 is meant to prevent, exactly because of the difference between her and Megatron.

So, in this case with the circuitry not being organic, June's immune system was never threat to her pregnancy and is no threat to the circuitry, so she will not have any problems with that. Except, that is, they will have to be more careful with Megatron from now on, with the circuitry in place getting pregnant again will be much easier now.

1) As in kilometres.


	17. Sussuido

**Sugar.**

" _There's sugar on your soul_

 _You're like no one I know_

 _You're the life of another world_

 _You swallow me whole_

 _With just a mumbled hello_

 _And it breaks my heart to love you,_

 _It breaks my heart to love you_ _"_ – Editors _"Sugar"._

 **Warnings** : Violence, explicit language, controversial subjects.

Timing: Post season 2 finale, in my very own Beauty of the Beast Prime timeline.

Rating: M (possibly even MA).

Pairings: multiple.

Disclaimer: Transformers Prime © Hasbro. Story's plot and OC's © me. There may be some OC's that aren't mine – they belong to their respective creators.

 **Sussuido.**

" _There's this girl that's been on my mind_

 _All the time, Su-Su-Sussudio oh oh_

 _Now she don't even know my name_

 _But I think she likes me just the same_

 _Su-Su-Sussudio oh oh_

 _Ah if she called me I'd be there_

 _I'd come running anywhere_

 _She's all I need, all my life_

 _I feel so good if I just say the word_

 _Su-Su-Sussudio, just say the word_

 _Oh Su-Su-Sussudio (…)"_ _–_ Phil Collins _"Sussuido"_

oOo

 _May 1_ _st_ _. Nemesis. Infirmary._

June observed her daughter with fascination. Sara did not look much like a baby, at least not much like a human baby but then again. She was only half human and her human part didn't show at all. At least not yet. June was told that she still looked the same as when she left the hospital and arrived on Nemesis: ovular spark casing with bio-lights and transmetal strands of protoform. But June was told that it was perfectly normal look at this stage of development.

June shifted slightly on her post in Megatron's servo. Here, in Nemesis he retained his natural size.

"… this means that the worst is over and save for some unexpected and grieve complications, Lady Sigma should be perfectly fine." Knockout's voice finally reached June's ears. "Though her development will have to continue inside of this tank for the remnant of the incubation."

"How long can that be?" June asked.

"It's hard to tell, the gestation varies between frame types, and from one technoorganic to another." The Decepticon Doctor admitted. "But taking Lord Megatron's tarnian military flying frame, the fact that you are a human, the size difference between you and that she will be posing as a human infant, I give her another good 6 earthen months or so before she will be ready to emerge."

"A human infant?" This time it was Megatron who addressed the Medic.

"Well, all technoorganics assume the external resemblance of their organic half. It is a form of self-preservation mode that all technoorganics have. It is in case that their organic creator's home world is somehow hostile to robotic life forms. Corrosive conditions are not so uncommon on organic inhabited worlds." Knockout explained. "It also helps them to mend into the organic society, which is yet another way of protecting themselves."

"How can this be if young Cybertronians do not have functioning T-cogs until they're older?" Megatron pinned the Aston Martin with sharp glare.

"That's because technoorganic develop slightly differently than regular Cybertronians, My Lord." Knockout hurried with the answer. It was better if Megatron didn't suspect him of helping Starscream to pull any stunt; especially that he wasn't. "Their initial transformation pattern is independent from their T-cog but it is one way transformation, they are only capable of transforming back after their T-cog is fully functional, just like in any Cybertronian. That also means that they're virtually defenceless before that time and this is why they assume organic form."

"Do technoorganics have vehicle modes?" June decided to cut in before Megatron would say anything else, stressing the Doctor even more.

"Usually they don't, but then again it also depends on how they upgrade. And even if they do not have any vehicle modes, they usually have some form of transportation means such as jet packs, roller blades – the kind of such extensions depends on their Cybertronian creator's frame type as well."

"Speaking of upgrades. How does it look in technoorganics?" June inquired further. She wanted to know everything about how her daughter would grow.

"With technoorganics some of the upgrades are automatic, such as growth: Lady Sigma won't need upgrades to grow in height and weight. Others have to be performed like with all regular Cybertronians, such as weaponry, propulsion, additional armour. The difference is that when regular Cybertronians needs the sockets and jacks to be installed along with the upgrades themselves; technoorganic automatic upgrades allow them to grow their own sockets, jacks and plugs for their manual upgrades. In practice it means that Lady Sigma will grow her own sockets and jacks but the upgrade items will have to be installed by a medic."

"Why there are two blue diodes of top of Sara when all the others are red?" Asked a voice from behind.

They turned to look at the voice's owner. They managed to completely forget that Jack was there too and the young man was perfectly fine with that – he felt awkward being on Nemesis in a completely legal way (especially that he remembered the last time he was face to face with Knockout when in here). But now he had a question so he reminded them of himself, Sara was his sister after all.

"These are optic array endings that mark where her optics will be in the future." Knockout shrugged as if it was the most obvious thing in the universe. To him it probably was.

"Then she will have eyes after mum." Jack smiled. Finally something that she would have after June.

"To be honest, Lady Sigma will have optics after Lady June and Lord Megatron alike." The Decepticon Medic turned to look at the bitlet. "Lord Megatron used to have blue optics too, like most of Cybertronians, the red optics are effect of an upgrade to advanced array used, among others, in military; that includes advanced aiming systems and HUD that basic optic array doesn't have."

oOo

 _Somewhere in the far end of the New Outer Arm of Milky Way_ _1_ _)._

The planet was nice. Small, organic, lush and rich in all sorts of life forms. The most notable of which was the dreaded, formidable, blood/energon curdling and abominable tree monster: a carnivorous tree that actively hunted every large species on the planet; be it animal or plant. It was commonly known as Flora Sanguivora and was considered to be deadly dangerous, at least by those who knew that such a beast existed.

They were highly territorial and like all large predators – not too numerous, but they were also plants, and like all plants they grew from seeds and until reaching full maturity they behaved like all 'normal' trees and even looked exactly like one of planet's most popular plant (to which they were related by the way). The mature Flora could move around on its muscular roots although not too fast, the truly deadly part was its fast, flagellum-like sprouts that grew out of its multiple, mawed and toothy branches. The plant-beast had also well developed and just as multiple eyes, so it saw what it was catching into its ridiculously strong offshoots.

One of them laid now on vast meadow. Dead, freshly killed2). Its massive, clawed roots bent in its final spasm. Its sprouts limp around the still opened and drooling maws. It was in its breeding season for it also had multiple buds that would soon open into beautiful and aromatic flowers that would attract certain type of a bee – the only creature that the plant wouldn't try to eat – that would pollinate them.

Above the dead tree stood Overlord, still venting heavily. His armour was bent in multiple places. A little bit further away stood Airachnid, her armour spotless, her lips smirking, her servo stretched, revealing her palm mounted muzzle.

"I told you these things are strong." She said in purring tone.

"I didn't think they would attack a Cybertronian." Overlord turned back to look at the Spider Femme. "We're not edible."

"You know it, I know it, most organics know it. But this beast is a plant and doesn't really have a brain." Airachnid strolled closer. "It doesn't understand the idea or edible-inedible."

"If it doesn't have a brain and a head, then how do you even know about it?" Overlord asked. He was well aware that Airachnid collected heads of all creatures. And just their heads.

"Its buds and flowers are highly prized and as such, they're expensive." She said and approached the dead plant. "When I heard that someone wanted to pay me for picking few flowers I thought they were mocking me for being a femme. Imagine my delight upon finding just what kind of plant these flower grew on."

"I imagine the surprise of that someone when you managed to return with these flowers." Overlord grinned. "What now?"

"We pick the buds, we part, we sell the buds for nice price." She picked the first almost blooming bud. "Naturally, we share the buds 50-50."

"It's a deal. How much one such morsel cost?" He gently picked one of the buds.

Airachnid told him and he whistled in surprise. He would have to get back here sometime soon. One such tree could earn him enough firepower to win a small war.

oOo

It was almost evening and they were getting ready to depart. Each having their buds secured and performing the final check-ups for launch.

"Perhaps see you later." Airachnid said simply and started to enter her ship.

"Wait!" Overlord called after her.

"Oh, don't tell me you want me to stay with you for one more…" She sighed with resignation. If he'd promise her anything if she said with him, she'd have to kill him.

"No… I'm picking something." He waved his servo dismissively. She wasn't bad looking but he wasn't romantic type, even if he was one of the few mechs who could get cosy with her and live to tell.

"What, here?" Her optics grew almost round.

This place was what literally served as the end of the Galaxy, the only transmission she ever picked in these regions was some religious station that broadcasted prayers, some religious music, political hate and requests for monetary donations3). What could he pick… unless the DJD… She fell utterly silent. DJD was not something she wanted to face right here even with that big oaf being on her side.

"Yes. It is faint but it sounds like Decepticon Radio jingle… I think its news…" He said. "They had to boost the signal to maximum for it to reach here. That means it has to be important."

"What does it say?" She asked. She couldn't pick it herself; her receivers were weaker than Overlord's.

Normally it didn't make any difference and she didn't have any problems with getting the Decepticon Radio news feeds and anything else, but in here she was radio-deaf. Except for that religious radio that she once picked.

"Well… what would've you know?" Overlord smiled with his most brilliant, cruel grin. "Guess what? Megatron's Sire."

"What?" Airachnid's jaw dropped.

"They just announced that his sparkling was separated from its carrier recently." Overlord repeated the news.

"Oh well. It looks like there's another one to turn into a trophy." Airachnid smirked.

"You can keep that one. I just want to kick Megatron from one end of the Galaxy to another. And then again and again…" Overlord shrugged.

"Suit yourself. I just want his head."

"Sure, why not, he won't have much use for it after I'm… Hold on, there's more." Overlord focused on the transmission again. "They say that soon Megatron will officially introduce his offspring as his heir."

"Now, that's interesting." Airachnid raised her optic brows. "I will look for twisting the tiny bootleg's head off."

"You need to survive long enough first." Overlord grinned with superiority and quickly boarded his ship.

Airachnid only rolled her optics and got to her vessel. Their business was over, it was time to go separate and she was glad – Overlord was charming and impressive but worked on her nerves (like all the overconfident mechs).

oOo

 _Nemesis. Infirmary._

It was both Soundwave and Shockwave's idea to put soldiers on guard. Officially it was nothing else but an Honour Guard, but in reality it was all about security. Not that there was any real danger – anyone who would try to pull anything on Megatron's heir would have no place to hide in the known Universe – it was more about privacy and making sure that Knockout could monitor the bitlet in peace, without soldiers getting in his way.

The incubation tank was placed in far end of the infirmary, so no one would 'trip' over it and the 'Guards' would not get into way of Knockout's regular medical duties.

At the moment the 'Guards' were Frenzy and Rumble, if Knockout was to guess why he'd say that Soundwave had no other idea what to do with the two imps.

"I'm going to the storage area." Knockout informed the twins. "Behave yourselves and don't break anything."

Neither of them responded, they just stood at the tank looking bored. Knockout wasn't sure because and he couldn't tell because of their visors, but he was wondering if the two could fall into recharge while standing.

The moment the doors slid shut after the Medic, Frenzy turned to his brother.

"Hey, ya thnik the new one will like me?" He asked.

"Pit no!" Rumble huffed. "She'll hate you, boob-brain!"

"It means she'll hate you too, we're twins!"

The only response he received were some rude noises that Rumble made at him. Normally he would punch the other twin, but he wasn't eager to find out what Knockout would do to him (and Soundwave wouldn't help – he gave them order to behave) for starting fights in infirmary, so he limited himself to pulling nasty face at his brother. Rumble replied with yet another rude noise and Frenzy retaliated with even uglier face… which resulted in sort of 'gross' duel.

Above them, inside of the tank, the bitlet blinked her bio-lights happily in reaction to their presence.

The End of "Sugar".

1) It is a loose strip of galactic matter loose from the main Galaxy (but still tied by gravity to it and spinning along), running on the outer side and along the Perseus Arm, angled 90 degrees and opposite from Scutum-Centaurus Arm. Consider it as boondocks of the Galaxy (thin, fade, small and far away) – though only in this fic, in reality: who knows?

2) Naturally I do not approve of this – this is illegal hunting.

3) Anyone from Poland should know what I'm referring to XD. Then again, laugh all you want but when you can't pick anything else, this religious music is what can keep you sane and awake… okay, perhaps not sane, but definitely awake.


End file.
